Trending news about the incident that happened at the Kwara State Polytechnic gate earlier this morning, saying that men of Nigeria Drug and Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA attacked the students and killed three were fake news.
The unverified reports have claimed that NDLEA clashed with Kwara Poly Students and three persons were allegedly killed during the attack.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Police Command has released a statement confirming that its men carried out the operation, thereby debunking earlier reports circulating on the media that NDLEA officials were behind it.
The statement partly read: “Kwara State Police Command wishes to allay the fears agitating the minds of the general public, especially residents around Kwara State Polytechnic area, that the pandemonium experienced today within the area arose as a result of the attack unleashed on a team of Police detectives from the Special Tactical Squad (STS) FIB, Abuja, who came on the trail of some cultists in the area.
“Recall that, cultists attacked and killed a student of Kwara State University, Malete yesterday 28/1/2022, Four of the cultists were arrested and dangerous weapons were recoverd from the suspects.
“Information available to the STS team indicated that some of the cultists were hiding at Lajolo area of Kwara Polytechnic Ilorin, where similar attack was unleashed on one student named Idris Aderemi by same cultists at about 0600hrs today 29/1/22, in the same area. This prompted the visit to the area by the STS team.
“Surprisingly, the cultists who were already in ambush, attacked the police team damaging the police Hummer bus and inflicting a gunshot injury on the head of one police Sergeant, Adebayo Abdulahi attached to the STS team. In the ensuing inbroglio, students in their numbers came out to block the road and prevented free flow of traffic and burning tyres on the road.
“The Commissioner of Police Kwara State, CP Tuesday Assayomo psc (+) immediately dispatched teams of Policemen to the area to restore peace.
However, two cultists, one Ahmed ‘m’ surname unknown and one Musibau ‘m’ A.K.A Shaban was arrested with one fabricated English pistol with 3 live ammunition, 2 live cartridges and one pistol magazine.
“The injured policeman and the suspects have been taken to the hospital for treatment.”
Also, the spokesperson of the NDLEA Femi Babafemi has confirmed that the reports were fake news. He posted on his Facebook page, “Fake news alert! NDLEA operatives were never in Kwara Poly or anywhere near the institution today Saturday 29th January 2022 for any operation. The Agency was not involved in the operation captured in the video trending on social media.”
One of the posts by an Online TV has the headline, “3 feared dead as police, NDLEA, Kwara poly students clash.”
A popular radio station in Ilorin post via YouTube has the headline, “NDLEA allegedly shot three persons in Kwara State.”
Another report on an online media on Facebook has the headline, “JUST IN: One shot as NDLEA, Kwara Poly students clash in Ilorin.”
Verdict
Fake News. NDLEA did not attack Kwara Poly Students or kill three people. The reports have been confirmed to be fake news.
This report was produced by The Informant247 Fact Check team.