The accident scene where NANS leaders died near Owo in Ondo State
The students met their end yesterday on their way to the University of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, to intervene in the current crisis rocking that institution.
The lone survivor for the accident
claimed that an illegal road block mounted by the police was responsible for
the tragedy. Now he is receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre,
Umuahia,
It would be recalled that yesterday,
the police killed several students during a protest organized by students of
Engineering at the university. That prompted the decision of the NANS leaders
to embark on the urgent trip to Akwa-Ibom.
The Engineering students were
protesting against new transport fees and other anti-student policies,
including the contentious “No pay, No examination” policy.
Confirming the death of his
colleagues this morning, the President of NANS, Yinka Gbadebo, blamed the
tragedy on the police.
“The police under the current IGP
killed nine students within one week, the police action is barbaric and we call
for the immediate resignation of the IGP, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar."
However, it is yet unclear how the
incident happened. The survivor of the crash claimed that the police mounted an
illegal road block by putting heavy logs and stones on the road and that the
unsuspecting students, who were travelling in a NANS bus rammed into the
illegal barrier.
According to him, the police ran away
immediately the accident occurred. Another source, has, however controverted
that account, claiming that a trailer crushed the students’ vehicle.
The Nigerian police have a poor
reputation of extra-judicial killings. "We are closing down all campuses
in Nigeria and national action will commence immediately," Mr. Gbadebo
threatened.
In a similar occurrence last
February, nine students of the Nasarawa State University in Keffi, died in a
road accident at Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area as they fled from
soldiers who attacked them during a campus protest.
The soldiers killed
several students on the scene protest. In July last year, three students’ union
leaders were killed on the Owo–Akure Road.
They were the
Student Union Presidents of the Federal University of Technology, Akure,
Comrade Awopegba Oluwaseun, Comrade Akintola Abiodun of the Adeyemi College of
Education, and Comrade Oyikan Olotu of the Ondo State School of Midwifery,
Akure.
God help Nigeria, the police would say anything and come up with lies. Sad though
ReplyDelete