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Students of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, on Monday, staged a peaceful protest to condemn the killing of a final-year Marketing student during a robbery attack at Eruku community, a settlement that hosts a large number of the institution’s students.
The protest was led by the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun Joint Campus Council (JCC), Comr. Olabode Faruq, popularly known as SUCCESS.
According to NANS, the attackers stormed the community and shot the female student dead. A second student was hit by a bullet in the stomach and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital, while another female student sustained injuries in the attack.
The killing has thrown the student community into mourning, with NANS describing it as a “senseless act of violence” that underscores the deteriorating security situation around tertiary institutions in the state.
Speaking on the incident, Comr. Faruq said he swung into action as soon as he received a distress call from the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), reaching out to the Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, to report the matter and demand the immediate deployment of security operatives to the community.
“Immediately I received the distress report, I contacted the Commissioner of Police to officially notify him of the incident and request the deployment of security personnel to restore calm and commence investigations,” he said.
The NANS leadership thereafter mobilised students for a peaceful protest to press home their demand for improved security around the school and its host communities.
During the protest, aggrieved students lamented the worsening security situation in Eruku and called on the traditional ruler of the community to intervene. They alleged that previous complaints raised over insecurity in the area had been ignored, and urged closer collaboration between the community and security agencies to forestall a repeat of the tragedy.
The NANS Chairman, alongside the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force, the Rector of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, the Chairman of the Governing Council, the Olu of Itori, and other stakeholders, thereafter proceeded to the palace of the traditional ruler to formally present the students’ grievances.
Responding, the traditional ruler addressed the students and assured them of his readiness to work with security agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen security in the community.
To forestall a reoccurrence, NANS Ogun JCC subsequently issued a list of demands to the Ogun State Government.
These are the establishment of a permanent police post in communities surrounding D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic and other tertiary institutions.
The installation of solar-powered street lights across student hostels and host communities, particularly around D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), and Gateway ICT Polytechnic (GAPOSA), among others; and Stronger collaboration between host communities, institutional management, and security agencies to protect the lives and property of students.
The association commiserated with the family of the deceased student, the management of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, the SUG, and the entire student community, praying for the repose of the departed student’s soul and quick recovery for those injured.
Comr. Faruq vowed that NANS would not relent in engaging the Ogun State Government and security agencies until “concrete and sustainable measures” are put in place to guarantee the safety of students on campuses and in host communities across the state.
As of this report’s time, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, has not been available for comments.
