The executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukayode has put a ban on “sting operations at night time” for officers in all its commands across the country.
This follows after the night raid on students of Obafemi Awolowo University and amid backlash from Nigerians as the commission had also labelled the undergraduates as internet fraudsters (Yahoo Boys) after seizing their mobile phones and laptops.
Dele Oyewale, a spokesman for the EFCC, in a statement on Wednesday night, confirmed that the directive was in reaction to the arrest of 69 “suspected internet fraudsters” by operatives of the Ibadan Zonal of the commission.
“In line with the newly-reviewed procedures on arrest and bail of suspects by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” Mr Olukoyede “has directed that sting operations at night time be stopped in all the Commands of the EFCC,” the statement said.
Mr. Oyewale also emphasized that the command has released a significant number of the duly profiled suspects, and the profiling of remaining unreleased suspects will be promptly concluded.
The release of 58 students was reported by the Peoples Gazette on Wednesday night, as confirmed by their legal representatives.
