Panic as KwaraPoly students protest over alleged EFCC operations near campus

There was tension on Wednesday at Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin after reports emerged that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were operating in the area.

Students, who had recently resumed academic activities, became restless and staged a protest at the polytechnic gate, burning tyres along parts of Old Jebba Road. Videos circulating on social media showed an officer allegedly chasing a student, a development that heightened panic across the campus.

A student who spoke anonymously said many students were initially confused about what was happening but became frightened after seeing armed operatives around the area.

“Nobody really understood what was happening at first, but the presence of armed operatives created fear across the campus. It disrupted the entire atmosphere and left many of us shaken,” the student said.

The polytechnic management, through its spokesperson Halimat Garba, later assured the public that calm had been restored. The management clarified that the operation did not take place on campus but in the nearby Agbede village, and that no students were arrested.

According to the institution, the swift intervention of combined security agencies and the school’s security personnel ensured the situation was quickly contained without escalation. The management also confirmed that examinations continued as scheduled and that the road had become safe for travel.

Attempts to obtain an official response from the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.