OAU Management Reacts to EFCC Student Arrests: Seeks Clarity on Numbers and Student Welfare

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has issued a response following the recent arrests of students by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) during a midnight operation.

Reports indicated that EFCC operatives conducted a raid on a student hostel around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, November 1, resulting in the arrest of over seventy students who were subsequently transported in white buses to Ibadan, Oyo State.

The university administration, through its Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, confirmed that the institution is currently in the process of determining the exact number of students apprehended by the anti-graft agency. The affected hostel, it should be noted, is situated outside the school campus.

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In a telephone conversation with The Nation, Olarewaju stated, "The University has sent delegates to the office of EFCC; we want to be sure of the numbers of our students that were arrested by the operatives. We want to be sure that our students are not unduly harassed or intimidated nor abused. The management has mandated us to go to Ibadan and find out because the welfare of students is important to us."

He went on to explain that the primary objective is to ascertain the welfare of the students and ensure they are not subjected to any form of harassment or abuse. The university administration is determined to gather firsthand information and necessary feedback to guide their actions.

Olarewaju emphasized the need for accuracy in identifying the students affected by the operation, as not all individuals apprehended may necessarily be students of the university. This careful approach aims to provide support, advocacy, and protection to those who are confirmed to be students of Obafemi Awolowo University.

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"We want to go and see by ourselves so that we can come back and give the management necessary feedback. We are just going there now, it is not only our students that are outside Ife, so we wouldn’t want a situation where people will say all those who were arrested are our students whereas maybe some of them are not our students. We want to know who we want to fight for, who we want to defend and protect." He said.

As the situation continues to unfold, the university administration remains committed to ensuring the well-being of its students and defending their rights and interests during this challenging period.