The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested 13 suspected internet fraudsters in Sokoto State on Saturday. The arrests took place in the Gidan Yaro and Dandima areas of Sokoto. Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, said in a statement that the suspects were arrested based on information that they were involved in internet-related crimes.
All 13 suspects claim to be students at Usmanu Danfodio University in Sokoto. “Once investigations are concluded, they will face charges in court,” Oyewale stated. He added that this recent operation is part of the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to fight internet fraud across Nigeria.
In a separate incident, EFCC operatives conducted a midnight raid on private hostels at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS).
Efcc arrests in Sokoto state
The raid occurred in the Kwakwalawa and Gidan Yaro communities in Sokoto and led to the arrest of several students.
Students reported that the EFCC operatives stormed their hostels around 4 a.m. and arrested many students without discrimination. The anti-graft commission has not yet commented on the raid and arrests. A similar incident took place at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), where EFCC officials from the Benin Zonal office arrested several students during a midnight raid on off-campus hostels.
The raid occurred around 2 a.m., and officers broke into rooms and took students into custody. Reports indicated that properties were destroyed, and many students, including females, were assaulted and brutalized. The EFCC’s actions in these university raids are a significant concern and remain controversial.