Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Mrs. Theresa Akande and students of the institution have called on the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Frederick Lakanu, to release youths and students who were detained over protest that rocked Erinfun in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday.
No fewer than 30 persons were arrested over the incident, in which aggrieved students and youths blocked the Ado-Ijan-Ikare Highway and hijacked vehicles from their owners.
The protesting youths also pelted the vehicle of legal luminary icon, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), with stones.
They were protesting long power outage in their community.
However, briefing journalists in Ado-Ekiti yesterday evening, Akande and the President, Students’ Union Government of the institution, Mr. Ajibola Oladapo, said several innocent students and staff of the polytechnic were arrested by the police.
Akande said that the beleaguered community had been experiencing some level of insecurity in recent times, owing to influx of drop-outs from other schools and miscreants. This was aside the protracted epileptic power and water supply that had been militating against the residents, which she said provoked the protest.
The Rector added that Babalola actually facilitated the relocation of the polytechnic to Ado-Ekiti from Akure, capital of Ondo State in 1980, aside being a fellow of the institution, adding that the students of the institution could not in any way denigrate his personality or do anything that would smear his image in the eyes of the public.
Akande said: “The community has been witnessing serious insecurity challenge in recent times. Some of the students who were dismissed from other schools have settled there and this made it to look as if our students were involved. Those who partook in the protest were mostly miscreants from other schools and residents of the Ebira Community.”
The student leader, Ajibola said: “As peace-loving students, we are appalled at such act of barbarism, especially against a revered personality like Chief Afe Babalola. It’s worthy of note that the management of this institution, which also suffers from the same fate, has been doing all that is humanly possible to provide basic amenities on the campus. We deeply appreciate this and thus we have no cause to complain of lack of power supply or water, and then go on demonstration over same.”
No fewer than 30 persons were arrested over the incident, in which aggrieved students and youths blocked the Ado-Ijan-Ikare Highway and hijacked vehicles from their owners.
The protesting youths also pelted the vehicle of legal luminary icon, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), with stones.
They were protesting long power outage in their community.
However, briefing journalists in Ado-Ekiti yesterday evening, Akande and the President, Students’ Union Government of the institution, Mr. Ajibola Oladapo, said several innocent students and staff of the polytechnic were arrested by the police.
Akande said that the beleaguered community had been experiencing some level of insecurity in recent times, owing to influx of drop-outs from other schools and miscreants. This was aside the protracted epileptic power and water supply that had been militating against the residents, which she said provoked the protest.
The Rector added that Babalola actually facilitated the relocation of the polytechnic to Ado-Ekiti from Akure, capital of Ondo State in 1980, aside being a fellow of the institution, adding that the students of the institution could not in any way denigrate his personality or do anything that would smear his image in the eyes of the public.
Akande said: “The community has been witnessing serious insecurity challenge in recent times. Some of the students who were dismissed from other schools have settled there and this made it to look as if our students were involved. Those who partook in the protest were mostly miscreants from other schools and residents of the Ebira Community.”
The student leader, Ajibola said: “As peace-loving students, we are appalled at such act of barbarism, especially against a revered personality like Chief Afe Babalola. It’s worthy of note that the management of this institution, which also suffers from the same fate, has been doing all that is humanly possible to provide basic amenities on the campus. We deeply appreciate this and thus we have no cause to complain of lack of power supply or water, and then go on demonstration over same.”
While appreciating the police for their prompt action in quelling the crisis, Ajibola, however, called on the police authority to effect the release of their members and other staff who were wrongly arrested during protest.
“We hereby appeal to the Police Commissioner in Ekiti State, Mr. Lakanu to kindly release our colleagues. We wish to reiterate that we are peace-loving students and our institution is reputed to be among the most peaceful in the nation. We are saying without iota of doubt that none of us is involved in the protest.”
“We hereby appeal to the Police Commissioner in Ekiti State, Mr. Lakanu to kindly release our colleagues. We wish to reiterate that we are peace-loving students and our institution is reputed to be among the most peaceful in the nation. We are saying without iota of doubt that none of us is involved in the protest.”