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Some protesting students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, have reportedly attacked some buildings on the campus of the polytechnic, where they also vandalised vehicles belonging to some staff members.
According to some eyewitnesses, the incident occurred late on Thursday as some people suspected to be students invaded the campus of the polytechnic following a raid on some hostels around the Owode-Ede area by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, where some students were arrested and taken to Ibadan zonal office of the anti-graft agency.
After the raid, the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee, Osun axis, in a release co-signed on behalf of the student body by Taiwo Ogungbe and Faruq Afolabi, as the Chairman and General Secretary of the association respectively, had claimed that EFCC operatives engaged in a night raid of hostels where the students were residing, arrested an unspecified number and whisked them to Ibadan, Oyo State.
The student group which condemned the act, demanded the immediate release of all those arrested and warned that failure to accede to its demand would compel NANS to move against the agency.
But the management of the polytechnic, while reacting to enquiry by journalists in a release signed by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Sola Lawal, said the identities of those students reportedly arrested could not be immediately ascertained.
Lawal, however, said the institution had yet to receive any correspondence from the EFCC to either confirm or deny the said arrest and the involvement of its students.
Displeased by the development, sources on the campus of the polytechnic, said some yet-to-be-identified students vandalised some buildings within the premises and vehicles.
Two students living in female hostels located within the premises of the polytechnic campus, who were close to the scene when the incident happened, but preferred anonymity for security reasons, said those involved hurled pebbles at some buildings including the staff club, and damaged some vehicles.
One of the students said, “The students were protesting the arrest of their colleagues by the EFCC. They hurled stones at the administrative building, but they concentrated on the staff club. They damaged some vehicles there. Those involved came to campus between 7 pm and 8 pm on Thursday.”
When contacted on Friday, the institution’s PRO, Lawal, who confirmed the incident, said, “The management of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, condemns the act of vandalism carried out last night (Thursday) by some misguided students which led to the vandalism of staff vehicles at the staff club.
“Lastly, the management is using this medium to warn mischief makers whose agenda is to disrupt the ongoing first-semester examination, as any students or fifth columnist caught disturbing the peace and tranquility of the institution will be dealt with decisively; to be forewarned is to be forearmed.”
However, Ede Poly Management on Friday suspended the activities and executives of the Students Union, over the role played by the Students Union Leadership in leading Students to the EFCC Zonal office in Ibadan and the destruction they allegedly carried out on the North campus of the Institution.
The institution disclosed this through a memo signed by the Institution’s Registrar and Secretary to the Management Committee, Alh. I.T. Agboola.
The polytechnic also set up a committee to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the crisis, within the institution, and to identify those responsible and suggest disciplinary measures that will forestall future recurrence.
Agboola added that security agencies would be invited to the Polytechnic for the remaining period of examinations to ensure the protection of lives and properties.
The memo reads: “The Management Committee held an emergency meeting on Friday, 10th May 2024, to consider the issue of some misguided students who vandalised Polytechnic and Staff properties because of the arrest of their colleagues by the EFCC on allegation of involvement in cybercrime.
“The Management Committee frowned at the attitude of the students who went to confront the EFCC in Ibadan and vandalized properties on the campus. After extensive deliberations, the meeting resolved as follows: security agencies would be invited to the Polytechnic for the remaining period of examinations to ensure the protection of lives and properties.
“A Committee is set up to take stock of damaged properties of Staff and to make recommendations for immediate repair or replacement where necessary.
“The meeting also set up another Committee to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the crisis and to identify those responsible and suggest disciplinary measures that will forestall future reoccurrences.
“The Management Committee meeting also reviewed the role played by the Students Union Leadership in leading Students to the EFCC Zonal office in Ibadan and the destruction they carried out on the North campus and came to the conclusion that Student Union activities and Students Union Executives are suspended so as to allowed for peace.
“The Management Committee decided that Student Union activities and Students Union Executives would remain suspended until the Committee set up to investigate the matter submits its report. The Students Union are to submit all the Polytechnic properties in their custody to the Dean of Students Affairs immediately,” the polytechnic stated.
Recall that Osun Defender earlier reported, that operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), confirmed the arrest of 64 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede who they claimed were suspected internet fraudsters.
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