The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday called for caution from the public following a recent attack on some of its operatives in Ibadan, Oyo State.

EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale confirmed in a statement that seven of its operatives on routine verification exercise of a surety, Azeez Kazeem Oluwakemi, were, on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, attacked and held hostage by staff and students of the Federal College of Forestry, Idi-shin Estate, Ibadan.

Oyewale said that the operatives were in the college to authenticate the address and identity of Oluwakemi, who stood as a surety for Alakinde Khalid Kolawole, a suspected internet fraudster in the custody of the Commission.

A surety verification exercise is a standard law enforcement practise for ensuring the bail conditions of a suspect. This fact occasioned the mission of the EFCC’s operatives at the college.

“For some inscrutable reasons, students and staff of the college went on a frenzy of attacks against operatives of the EFCC who were on an authorised assignment,” Oyewale stated.

He added that this is in spite of the fact that the college community was duly informed about the mission of the EFCC’s team.

According to him, the college’s Student Union President, in concert with his colleagues and some staff of the institution, reportedly ignited violent confrontations with operatives of the EFCC.

“Two main entrance gates to the college were barricaded with a car believed to be owned by one of the lecturers of the college,” Oyewale explained.

“The bus that conveyed operatives to the college was vandalised, even as students and staff of the college threw stones and dangerous objects at the vehicle.”

The EFCC spokesman further said it was a rescue team that came to successfully release the seven operatives held hostage by the riotous crowd.

Oyewale said operatives of the Commission exercised restraint even in the face of the unprovoked attack and refrained from applying any force against the belligerent attackers.

He also clarified that no student or staff of the college was shot, as armed operatives merely fired into the air to disperse the unruly crowd.

“The Commission wishes to assure the public that it will continue to perform its duties in line with its mandate, and unprovoked attacks against personnel of the EFCC will no longer be tolerated,” Oyewale said.
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