Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State on Saturday staged a protest to condemn the recent killings of fellow students allegedly perpetrated by indigenes of the host community.
The protest comes just three weeks after two students; Andrel Okah of the Department of History and International Studies and John Abba of the Department of Economics, were reportedly abducted and murdered.
While some suspects were arrested, the alleged mastermind reportedly died in police custody.
In the most recent case, the students protested the suspected murder of Joy Adeyemi, a student from the Department of Human Kinetics, allegedly killed by her boyfriend, who is said to be an indigene of the town and is currently on the run.
During the protest, the visibly angry students marched through the streets, chanting solidarity songs and holding placards that read: “At Akungba Akoko, say no to students killing,” “Stop killing us, AAUA students,” and “The state government should intervene in the killing of AAUA students.”
One of the demonstrators, who identified himself simply as Kunle, spoke to PUNCH about the latest tragedy.
He explained that the victim, who operated a Point of Sale (POS) business, had been missing since Tuesday, only to be found dead in her boyfriend’s room days later.
“We are yet to know the reason the guy killed that lady. The lady operates a POS in that area but since Tuesday, she has disappeared and nobody knew her whereabouts until yesterday when the neighbours were concerned, and they discovered that she had been stabbed to death by her boyfriend. The boy after killing her went away with the money she used for her POS business.”
He continued, “It is high time the state government did something about the killings of our students by the indigenes of this town. If nothing is done, this may lead to a serious crisis in this community. You remember that some weeks ago, two of our students were also kidnapped and killed. So something has to be done.”
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee (NANS JCC) issued a statement condemning the rising attacks on students and demanding swift government action.
The statement, signed by Comrade Adekanye Adeboye (Chairman) and Oladele Emmanuel (Secretary), called for accountability and stronger security.
The statement read: “The National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Council, Ondo Axis is appalled and deeply saddened by the recent wave of killings targeting students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State. While the student community is still grappling with the tragic loss of two students who were brutally killed in the university, another female student fell victim to this senseless violence just yesterday.”
“As a body saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the general affairs and welfare of all Nigerian students, we strongly condemn these heinous acts and demand immediate action from the Ondo State Government and all security operatives responsible for safeguarding lives and property within the state. The incessant killings are a clear indication of a security lapse that must be addressed urgently.”
NANS further issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Ondo State Government and security agencies, urging them to identify and apprehend the perpetrators, implement effective security strategies, and safeguard all students in and around the university.
“In light of these tragic events, NANS issues a 24-hour ultimatum to the Ondo State Government and all relevant security agencies to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of these crimes, implement robust security measures to prevent further attacks on students and ensure the safety and security of all students within the university and its environs.”
“Failure to comply with a 24-hour ultimatum would leave us with no other option than to mobilise all student structures across the country down to Ondo state and stage a massive peaceful protest until our demands are met.”
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo State, Mr Olayinka Ayanlade, said multiple arrests had been made and further investigation was ongoing.
“We have arrested three suspects and we are making efforts to arrest other fleeing suspects while the investigation is ongoing,” he stated.
In response, the university also appealed for calm. The Head of Media and Protocols at AAUA, Mr Victor Akinpelumi, urged students to remain peaceful and allow due process.
“We are only appealing to the students not to take the law into their hands and they should allow the police to do a thorough investigation and I’m sure justice would be served on the perpetrators,” he said.
