A female student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Ogun State, was shot dead while two other students sustained injuries during a midnight robbery attack in Eruku Community, Ewekoro Local Council of the state.

The Guardian learnt that the deceased was a Higher National Diploma (HND) II student in the Department of Marketing and was due to write her final examinations in a few days.

Among the injured were another female student, who suffered a deep cut to her ear, and a male student, who sustained a gunshot injury and is receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta.

The incident sparked protests yesterday as students of the institution blocked the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway in front of the school to demand improved security.

The protesters barricaded the highway, disrupting traffic and commercial activities, leaving commuters and motorists stranded for several hours.

Speaking during the protest, the Students’ Union Government (SUG) President, Blessing Owoigbe, blamed the attack on inadequate security in the area and called on the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun to take urgent steps to protect students and prevent a recurrence.

Owoigbe lamented the killing of the final-year student and the injuries sustained by the other victims.
“Please, we need the full support of the government. There’s no security. If there was security, this wouldn’t have happened to this extent. This is not the first, second or even the third time this has happened in Eruku,” she said.

Reacting to the incident, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) described the attack as “heartbreaking and a direct assault on the future of our nation.”

In a statement by its Secretary-General, Oladimeji Uthman, the association said the incident underscored the worsening security challenges confronting students across Ogun State and the country.

NANS declared a state of emergency in Eruku Community and advised students with alternative accommodation to relocate temporarily until the security situation improves and adequate measures are put in place to safeguard lives and property.

The association also urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to strengthen security around tertiary institutions and student communities by working with security agencies, institutional managements, local council authorities, traditional rulers and student leaders.

It extended condolences to the family of the deceased and to the management, staff and students of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic.

“Education should never become a journey of fear or a pathway to death. Every Nigerian student deserves to study, travel to and from campus and live within host communities without the constant threat of violence or criminal attacks,” the statement read.

Expressing concern over repeated complaints of insecurity in Eruku Community, Ewekoro Local Council, NANS called on the Eleruku of Eruku, Oba Kolawole Edunjobi Adifase, and other community leaders to take immediate and visible steps to reassure students by publicly condemning criminality and cooperating with law enforcement agencies.