A robbery attack on a student community near DS Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Ogun State, has claimed the life of a student and left three others injured, sparking protests that brought traffic to a standstill on the Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway.
Angered by the killing, students of the institution on Tuesday barricaded the busy highway, demanding improved security around the campus and its surrounding communities.
The protest followed an overnight invasion of Eruku Community, located behind the polytechnic, where many students reside. The attackers reportedly raided about 15 houses, robbing residents and shooting victims.
Confirming the incident, the Rector of the institution, Dr Goke Rafiu, said one student was killed while three others sustained injuries during the attack.
“What happened was that some armed robbers raided about 15 houses in Eruku where some of our students are living. The community is actually behind the school, and during the attack, one of the students was killed while about three others were injured,” he said.
According to the rector, one of the injured students was taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, for treatment, while the institution’s management, police officers and community leaders were already working on measures to strengthen security.
He appealed to the protesting students to remain calm as efforts were underway to prevent a recurrence.
In response to the incident, the polytechnic postponed examinations scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, and Wednesday, July 29.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Timetable, Examination and Academic Calendar Committee, Gideon Adekunle, the institution said the postponement was intended to honour the deceased student and allow affected students time to recover emotionally.
The Students’ Union Government President, Comrade Owoigbe Blessing, said the robbers struck around midnight, killing a final-year HND II student.
She added that a female student suffered a severe ear injury during the attack, while another student who was shot is receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.
Owoigbe called on the Ogun State Government to urgently improve security around the institution, noting that similar attacks had repeatedly occurred in the Eruku community.
The Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Ogun State, Comrade Olabode Faruq Success, also condemned the recurring insecurity around tertiary institutions and urged the government and security agencies to take immediate steps to safeguard students.
