The management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State, has kicked against the mode of operation of the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who raided some private hostels of its students located outside the University campus in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The University, which said that the operatives barged in around 2am on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, and violently woke up sleeping students and treated them most unfairly in the course of the operation, however, noted that that it was in contact with EFCC to profile those arrested in the dawn operation in order to determine their actual identities and status.
In a statement issued by the Director of Corporate Communication, FUTA, Adegbenro Adebanjo, he said the profiling will help the management to ascertain the identities of those arrested and validate their studentship and equally ensure that innocent FUTA students were not punished for offences they have not committed.
While noting that the operatives of EFCC did not invade FUTA premises as being speculated, Adegbenro disclosed that “there was no operation whatsoever within the hostels or precincts of the University. The incident in question happened in private hostels off campus.”
He said, “The University expresses strong reservation about the timing and mode of the operation said to have taken place around 2AM on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
“Reports indicate that the operatives barged in and violently woke sleeping students and treated them most unfairly in the course of the operation.
“Such patently dangerous tactics should not have been employed by the operatives. The process should always follow due process without causing harm or injuries to anybody physically or psychologically.
“Indeed but for providence something untoward could have happened in the course of the operation carried out in the off-campus hostels.
“The University is in touch with the EFCC to ascertain the identity of those arrested and validate their studentship and also to ensure that innocent FUTA students are not punished for offences they have not committed.
“FUTA abhors all forms of anti-social practices including acts of criminality in all its forms and supports all initiatives to bring perpetrators to face the consequences of their actions within the ambits of the law.
“The University rules and regulations as contained in the Students Code of Conduct as stipulated in the University Handbook and oath of Matriculation which all students are made to sign specifically prescribe varying degrees of punishment for students who run afoul of the laws governing their studentship or engage in illegal acts or odious behavior.
“The Handbook will guide the University in the current situation.”