…EFCC Denies Involvement In Raid Of Campus
Dele Olaosebikan
A police constable, PC Fayemi Kehinde, sustained minor injuries Thursday as some aggrieved students of the Kwara State University, Malete attacked the divisional police station in the town following a raid on suspected black spots by operatives of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) around the school premises.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, PC Kehinde’s injury was a result of stones hurled at the police station. The police mouthpiece said the injured PC was given first aid treatment at the hospital and has been discharged.
Giving further details as to events leading to the students storming the station, DSP Toun said reports indicated that the students gathered at about 1600hrs on the day in question on issues around grievances related to the recent raids on black spots around the school’s premises by operatives of the NDLEA.
“Students living off campus expressed their dissent, marched from various parts of the town to Okoru Junction, close to Malete Police Division, carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Say No to NDLEA.”
She explained that efforts were made to engage with the students, persuading them to return to their respective hostels and maintain peace.
“In the process, they encountered a white Toyota Hilux vehicle with registration number Lagos AGL 574 HZ, occupied by four armed policemen from Ila-Orangun, led by Inspector Ibrahim Ali and three others on an official assignment to Malete.
“They were mistaken for operatives of drug law enforcement agency. Consequently, the students chased them to Malete Divisional Police Headquarters, where the students began to throw stones into the police station.
“Regrettably, this led to some damages to the rooftop of the station and the windscreen of vehicles parked in the station. The policemen fired tear gas canisters to disperse the violent crowd and prevent further damage at the police station.”
Additionally, one police officer, PC Fayemi Kehinde, sustained minor injuries as a result of the stones thrown at the police station. He was given first aid treatment at the hospital and discharged,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described as “false” a story published by an online platform (not Eighteen-Eleven Media) suggesting its operatives took part in the raid of the KWASU campus.
Reechoing the title of the story: “BREAKING: Operatives of Anti-Graft Agency, EFCC, NDLEA Shoot At Students During Raid on Kwara State University Hostels”, the EFCC insists the story was “fabricated as the operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC neither visited Kwara State University on Thursday, 22 February 2024 nor had any joint operation with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).”
The anti-graft agency said the only operation by it happened a day earlier and involved the arrest of 48 students of Kwara State University. “It was a well-coordinated and professional exercise devoid of any incident. And no other agency was involved in the operation.
“The public is enjoined to be wary of fabricated stories designed to mislead the public about the works of the EFCC or incite the people against the Commission.
“EFCC remains focused, unfazed by blackmail and totally committed to its mandate of tackling all forms of economic and financial crimes in Nigeria”, the statement from the Commission stated.
Eighteen-Eleven Media