Students Protest Against Robbery, Rape In Southwest Nigeria
OAUSTECH students, Ondo State, Southwest Nigeria, protested the lack of safety in their environment, while accusing the University of complacency.
Students of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State, Southwest Nigeria, protested against incessant robbery and rape of female students, grounding academic activities on Thursday June 24, 2021.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the students partially blocked the Okitipupa-Igbokoda expressway, stopping free-flow of traffic to register their grievances.
Damilola Okunomo, President, Student Union Government of the institution told NAN that the students were tired of the level of insecurity in the area.
He said armed gangs were reigning in on the lack of security to rob students of their valuables like phones, laptops, gadgets, and rape female students at gunpoint.
Okunomo added that four female students were raped two weeks ago, alleging that the institution’s management was not doing enough on the security of lives and properties of students.
“We are tired of this insecurity, armed hoodlums usually come to our off-campus hostels, rob students at gunpoint, and also rape our female students,” Okunomo said.
“The school management is not doing enough as we are the ones securing ourselves by working as vigilantes most times, the situation is terrible.”
“We urge the school management to do its best in securing us and complete all the uncompleted hostel accommodations in our campus as this will also guarantee our security.”
In reaction, Ilemobayo Oguntimehin, Dean of Students Affairs of OAUSTECH, told NAN that the school management was doing its best to secure the lives and properties of the students.
He said the university authority was having a security meeting with the Police, other security agencies, and traditional rulers towards addressing the situation.
“Presently, the management, the board council are having a security meeting with the police, other security agencies and traditional rulers to arrest the situation and I am assuring the students that they will be secured,” Oguntimehin said.
He urged the students not to take laws into their hands and allow the management to resolve these security issues amicably.
Oguntimehin also appealed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) to complete their respective hostel accommodations in the institution in order to enhance the security of students.
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