Ekiti Government calls for calm, launches probe into student extortion allegations

The Ekiti State Government has appealed for calm following growing public outcry over the alleged harassment, arrest, and extortion of Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) students during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise on Saturday, July 25, 2026.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, the government confirmed it has launched a comprehensive review to investigate the conduct of enforcement officers and ascertain the facts surrounding the incident.

The response follows a wave of petitions and public protests by various student bodies and community stakeholders. 

Preliminary reports indicate that the affected students were initially apprehended for violating movement restrictions during the mandatory sanitation exercise. They were subsequently brought before a competent Magistrate Court, where statutory fines were imposed according to state law.

However, the government acknowledged the concerns raised by the students, particularly allegations that officers demanded unauthorized cash payments and directed funds into a private bank account.

Reaffirming the state’s stance on official accountability, Olatunbosun emphasized that the Governor Biodun Oyebanji administration maintains zero tolerance for extortion, abuse of office, or corrupt practices by public servants, noting that no official is authorized to collect payments outside established legal procedures.

He noted that the government’s review will specifically investigate whether enforcement officers operated within legal bounds, examine the mechanism used for collecting court-imposed fines, verify the claims of payments into private accounts, and recommend strict administrative or legal sanctions for any officer found guilty of misconduct.

While assuring the public that no wrongdoer will be shielded from accountability, the state also urged against premature judgment, requesting that all parties refrain from inflammatory statements and allow the investigative process to run its course.

The government maintained that while the monthly environmental sanitation exercise remains a critical public health initiative backed by law, enforcement agents must discharge their duties professionally, courteously, and strictly within legal boundaries.