7 Arrested as EKSU Students Protest Death of Colleague

By Toba Suleiman Students of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti on Friday went on rampage on the campus during which no fewer than 10 vehicles were burnt, several buildings vandalised and the university’s poultry farm looted. The students were said to be protesting the death of one of their colleagues, who was said to have been knocked down in the previous day by a hit and run driver. Already, seven students of the institution have been apprehended by the police over their alleged involvement in the crisis. According to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Victor Babayemi, the students were picked up at various locations. He added that efforts were being made to apprehend the run away driver, who actually caused the death. During the violent protest, which was described as most massive and devastating, 3,500 birds, 120 creates of eggs, 25 rabbits, 10 goats and 75 sheep and rams were carted away from the teaching and research farm by the protesting students. Besides, the buildings housing the Faculty of Engineering, Part Time Programme (PTP), O’dua Auditorium, as well as the Information Communication Technology (ICT) were also vandalised. Sources hinted that the students embarked on the protest, shortly after the news filtered into the campus that the victim, BiolaYusuf Teslim, who was also said to be a member of the Eye confraternity, had died, following head injuries sustained after the accident. However, while briefing the press in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Patrick Oladipo Aina, described the damage as colossus, noting that since his assumption of office, he never witnessed such devastating incident.