Tension gripped the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, on Wednesday after the reported presence of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission sparked panic and protests among students.
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Our correspondent gathered that the anti-graft operatives were sighted patrolling areas around the institution at a time examinations were ongoing, heightening anxiety across the campus.
Eyewitnesses said confusion broke out when students suddenly began running in different directions, with some claiming an officer was seen chasing a student—an incident that further escalated fears.
“We suddenly saw people running in different directions. Nobody really understood what was happening at first, but the presence of armed operatives created fear across the campus,” a student, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
Another student added, “It is wrong for such operations to take place when students are writing exams. It disrupted the atmosphere and left many of us shaken.”
Aggrieved by the development, some students staged a protest, burning tyres along sections of Old Jebba Road leading to the institution.
A visit to the campus showed remnants of the protest, with charred tyres visible at the entrance, indicating the intensity of the demonstration.
Security was subsequently reinforced, with a police van from the Oke-Oyi Division stationed at the main gate to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
Reacting, the management of the Polytechnic assured the public that calm had been restored, describing the protest as brief and limited in scope.
“The management wishes to inform the general public, particularly parents, guardians, and commuters, that a peaceful academic environment has been fully restored on campus and its immediate surroundings following a brief protest by a few students earlier today,” the statement read.
The institution clarified that the operation that triggered the tension did not occur within the campus but in nearby Agbede village.
“The incident originated from reports of security operatives conducting official duties in the nearby Agbede community, an action which reportedly caused concern among some students. It is important to note that no students were arrested during the operation,” the management stated.
It added that only a small number of students participated in the protest and commended the swift intervention of security agencies.
“The swift and professional intervention of combined security agencies and the Polytechnic’s internal security personnel ensured the situation was contained promptly without escalation,” the statement noted.
The management also reassured stakeholders that academic activities continued uninterrupted.
“Students scheduled for morning examinations were duly checked in by their invigilators, and exams are ongoing as planned,” it said.
Reaffirming its commitment to safety, the institution urged the public to go about their normal activities, noting that the area was secure.
Meanwhile, efforts to get a response from the EFCC’s Ilorin Zonal Command were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to its Public Relations Officer, Ayodele Babatunde Joseph, were not returned as of the time of filing this report.
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