EFCC Confirms Arrest of 14 FUTA Students in Midnight Raid (Photo)

Posted by Thandiubani on Thu 15th Feb, 2024 - tori.ng

The Benin zonal command of the anti-graft agency said the students were arrested alongside nineteen others in the early hours of Wednesday for suspected internet fraud.

The arrest of 14 undergraduate students of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) has been confirmed.

The arrest was confirmed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Benin zonal command of the anti-graft agency said the students were arrested alongside nineteen others in the early hours of Wednesday for suspected internet fraud.

TheCable earlier reported that an undisclosed number of FUTA students were arrested in Akure around 3 am by uniformed operatives of the EFCC.

Footage obtained by TheCable showed some students with bodily injuries and others being whisked away in a vehicle.

“They broke in, made unlawful arrests, destroyed properties, molested a female student, and inhumanly inflicted injuries on some others,” a source had said.

The EFCC said the raid was conducted following intelligence on alleged nefarious activities in the state capital.

“The sting operation that yielded their arrest was a response to strident calls to the EFCC by neighbours and parents around the locations, to save their children from being lured into internet-related activities by the suspects,” it said.

“Items recovered at the point of arrest include ten exotic cars, phones, laptops, and one motorbike.”

The commission said the arrested suspects would be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded.

The development comes a few months after the commission’s headquarters directed its operatives nationwide to stop carrying out sting operations at night.