Published 28th Sep, 2024

By Sodeeq Atanda

#Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested a campus journalist and some other students of the Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, (UDUS) on Saturday.

The EFCC officers invaded some hostels, including Kwakwalawa and Gidan Yaro and Dandima student estates located outside the school campus and arrested scores of students.

Narrating his experience, the journalist who asked not to be named said that his room mate woke him up some minutes past 5 am to say that EFCC operatives had entered their hostel.

“Some minutes past 5 am, my room mate woke me up, informing me that EFCC officials had entered our estate. Knowing that I am not involved in crimes, I did not attempt to run away,” the reporter told FIJ.

“Everyone they met in our hostel was arrested and driven in their vehicles to their office in the state. They wasted our time, checking through our phones. But they did not beat us.

“They collected my phone, checked my email box, bank apps, crypto wallets, WhatsApp chats and interrogated me for some minutes. At about 1 pm, they let some of us go.”

Abdulmalik Abdulkadir, another student, interviewed by FIJ, explained that his private instant messaging apps and bank apps were scrutinised.

The anti-graft personnel kept asking him if he had incriminating information on his phone.

“They checked my phone apps and interviewed me for minutes,” Abdulkadir said. “About 16 students were arrested from my own hostel. But over 46 students were arrested in all the places they went to, according to my count.”

Some students, including the journalist and Abdulkadir, had been released while some were yet to be let go at press time.

“Some students have not been released. The EFCC claimed that those ones were suspected to be Yahoo boys,” said Abdulkadir.

During separate phone interviews, the two students confirmed that the operatives did not collect any money from them before they were released.

EFCC has gained notoriety for invading student residences and business premises overnight to arrest people on allegations of engaging in or abetting cybercrimes.

When FIJ spoke with Dele Oyewale, the agency spokesperson, at 9:56 am, he promised to call the EFCC office in Sokoto for confirmation.

Oyewale had not provided feedback and did not answer a follow-up call as of press time.

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