Afe Babalola varsity students on rampage

Over 60 students in police net

THE serenity of the six-year-old Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) was on Sunday evening shattered as some students went on violent protest for yet to be identified reasons.

Property worth several millions of Naira was damaged while the police arrested no fewer than 60 students.

During the protest that started around 9.45pm, some of the rampaging students who wore mask to cover their identity were said to have over powered the security men on duty to break into the two cafeterias located in the institution and destroyed the kitchen utensils.

Also attacked by the students were the palatial Owolabi Hall, the magnificent Talents Discovery Building and the College of Engineering. Some of the hi-tech equipment for Mechatronics were seen scattered and some thrown into the swimming pool.

The violent protest, which forced students and staff to run in different directions throughout the night were curtailed yesterday morning by anti-riot policemen deployed by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Etop James.

A police truck and several Hilux vans loaded with anti-riot policemen and men of the Nigerian Service and Civil Defence Corps were stationed on campus with the intention to quell any crisis that may resurge.

The irate students, who smashed and overturned a Toyota Corolla Car and Toyota Highlander with registration numbers Ekiti ADK 327 AG and Lagos SR 684 BH, respectively, were alleged to have looted a sum of N10 million being the proceeds of sales kept in the Accountant’s office in one of the cafeterias.

The university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Tunde Olofintila, said the violent protest was carried out by academically deficient students, who were afraid of being expelled after the ongoing first semester examinations.

Olofintila said: “As it was in some public universities, the skirmish was engineered and orchestrated by those who were not doing well academically and who are not prepared to improve on their academic performances.

“But rather than continue with examination, those with low academic grades, some of who did not have clearance for the first semester and or did not register for the examination, went on rampage and in the process vandalized some property, the cost of which is being assessed”.