There was pandemonium on Wednesday afternoon in Oke-Ilewo area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, as protesting students clashed with the convoy of the Deputy Governor, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele.
The Deputy governor reportedly escaped attack by the irate students during the incident.
Daily Trust reports that some students of the state-owned Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, were protesting some actions of the management including alleged tuition fee hike, delay in the mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps and dissolution of the 2023/2024 Students Union Executives.
The school management on Monday shut the institution indefinitely following the ensuing crisis in order to “protect life and property.”
Miffed by the development, the students began demonstrations on Wednesday, marching from the school gate through Onikolobo, Panseke, Oke – Ilewo and other streets in Abeokuta to vent their anger against the management.
Our correspondent gathered that the Deputy Governor’s convoy ran into the demonstrating students around OPIC roundabout-Iwe-Irohin axis of Oke-Ilewo, where there was a clash.
A statement by Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr Kayode Akinmade, said the Deputy Governor’s convoy was on its way to 35 Artillery Brigade Alabama, Abeokuta, Ogun State to represent the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, at the reception marking the year 2025, Armed Forces Remembrance day Celebrations, when her convoy ran into the protesting students.
Akinmade said while the convoy was trying to navigate its way out of the chaotic scene, the irate protesting students charged towards the convoy upon identifying the occupant.
He alleged that they were armed with “sticks and other dangerous projectiles.”
Akinmade said “They became even more restive and rushed to attack her convoy with of demobilising it, despite her security operatives as well as other police officers on grounds persuasion to stay calm and allow the convoy pass
“This informed her Convoy’s decision to make an immediate detour to her lodge for the protesting students to pass peacefully before she left for the function she was slated to attend.”
He said some of her security vehicles were, but the security operatives “were also hurt in the process of maintaining law and order.”
But the Chairman, NANS Ogun JCC, Adeyanju Francis, who led the protest, denied attacking the convoy, alleging that her security men shot at the students.
“None of our students attacked her, we were coming peacefully. We converged this morning at MAPOLY school gate to express our grievances to the Ogun state government and on our way going to Oke Mosan, we were accosted by the entourage of the Deputy Governor.
“At first we thought she was sent from Oke-Mosan to engage the student Constituency. That was our thought not until the policemen attached to her started shooting at the students.
“None of the students were armed with sticks or anything. It is a blatant lie against the Nigeria Students,” he said.
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