The students met their end yesterday on their way to the University of
Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, to intervene in the current crisis rocking that
institution.
The lone survivor for the accident, who is currently
receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, claimed
that an illegal road block mounted by the police was responsible for the
tragedy.
It would be recalled that yesterday, the police killed
several students during a protest organized by students of Engineering
at the university. That prompted the decision of the NANS leaders to
embark on the urgent trip to Akwa-Ibom.
The Engineering students
were protesting against new transport fees and other anti-student
policies, including the contentious “No pay, No examination” policy.
Confirming
the death of his colleagues this morning, the President of NANS, Yinka
Gbadebo, blamed the tragedy on the police. “The police under the current
IGP killed nine students within one week; the police action is barbaric
and we call for the immediate resignation of the IGP, Mohammed Dikko
Abubakar."
However, it is yet unclear how the incident happened.
The survivor of the crash claimed that the police mounted an illegal
road block by putting heavy logs and stones on the road and that the
unsuspecting students, who were travelling in a NANS bus rammed into the
illegal barrier. According to him, the police ran away immediately the
accident occurred.
Another source, has, however controverted that account, claiming that a trailer crushed the students’ vehicle.
The
Nigerian police have a poor reputation of extra-judicial killings. "We
are closing down all campuses in Nigeria and national action will
commence immediately," Mr. Gbadebo threatened.
In a similar
occurrence last February, nine students of the Nasarawa State University
in Keffi, died in a road accident at Mararaba, Karu Local Government
Area as they fled from soldiers who attacked them during a campus
protest.
The soldiers ao killed several students on the scene protest .
In
July last year, three students’ union leaders were killed on the
Owo–Akure Road. They were the Student Union Presidents of the Federal
University of Technology, Akure, Comrade Awopegba Oluwaseun, Comrade
Akintola Abiodun of the Adeyemi College of Education, and Comrade Oyikan
Olotu of the Ondo State School of Midwifery, Akure.