Treat Any EFCC Operative Searching People On The Road As Criminal – NANS Tells Members

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According to a report by SaharaReporters, the Zone D (Southwest) wing of the National Association of Nigerian Students (Zone D) says any operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found on the road doing a stop and search will henceforth be treated as a criminal.

Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji, Coordinator of NANS (Zone D) disclosed this after a meeting with EFCC top officials at the agency’s zonal office in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

According to Olatunji, the officials had told members of the association that they don’t do stop and search routine.

In view of this, anyone found with an EFCC-crested vest doing a stop and search should be arrested and treated as a criminal, the students’ body said.

The students’ leader said the parley with the anti-graft commission was necessary, given the need to curb the excesses of overzealous operatives against students who had complained of illegal arrest and other forms of humiliation.

He also expressed the association’s readiness to collaborate with the EFCC to fight internet fraud in tertiary schools in the country.

“Sequel to the report received as regards the Illegal arrest and misconduct practices by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, the leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest (Zone D) visited the commission at the Oyo State capital, Ibadan in other to curb the illegal arrest of students under her constituency.

“The NANS Southwest (Zone D) leadership in attendance include my humble self, Comrade Awoyinfa Opeoluwa (Public Relations Officer), Comrade FM Castro (OAU), Comrade Abayomi (NAUS National Director of Campus Intervention), Comrade Adeleke Quadri (NANS Oyo JCC Chairman), Comrade Ekundina Elvis (NANS Ogun JCC Vice-Chairman), and many others.

“We were welcomed by the EFCC top officials, Mr Hassan (Deputy Commandant DC), Mrs Deborah (ADC), Mr David (ADC) MR Modupe (Legal Dept), and Mr Olumide (PRO). Prior to the visit, a letter was sent to the commission to make the student body's stance and intentions known as attached to this publication.

“After a series of engagements during the meeting, the following was reached; the EFCC doesn’t do stop and search routine. Anyone found with an EFCC-crested vest doing stop and search should be arrested.

“EFCC does not burst into people’s places of residence between 11 pm and 2 am. EFCC can operate outside the zone i.e., Benin zone can operate in the Ibadan zone without any hindrance. EFCC will meet with Vice-Chancellors on how to introduce sensitisation on cybercrime to the academic curriculum. 

“Moreover, there was also a promise to release our union president, Federal School of Statistics, Oyo State who was detained, latest by Friday. We are committed to safeguarding and protecting the students’ interest.”