LAUTECH Shooting: Ekiti Students Call For Probe, Demand Justice For Slain Corps Members
Ekiti students, under the aegis of the Federation of Ekiti State Students’ Union (FESSU), stormed the House of Assembly complex in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, protesting the killing of a corps member of Ekiti origin allegedly killed by a trigger-happy policeman at Ogbomoso in Oyo State last week.
Led by FESSU National President, Benjamin Adekunle, the students not only demanded justice for the deceased corps member; they also called for a proper investigation into the shooting and killing of the victims with a view to bringing the perpetrator to justice.
Speaking at the House of Assembly complex in Ado Ekiti, with other FESSU members carrying placards and singing solidarity songs, Adekunle said that the protest was to call the attention of the Ekiti Assembly Speaker, Adeoye Aribasoye, so that he could liaise with his Oyo State counterpart to ensure justice for the deceased and his family.
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Recall that students of LAUTECH had last week called for justice for the corps member allegedly killed by the police and condemned police brutality in strong terms.
The deceased, a corps member serving in Ibadan, had attended the convocation party of his brother, Oluwafemi Iyanda, in Ogbomoso when the incident whereby he was shot dead allegedly by the police happened.
The brother, Oluwafemi, a graduate of LAUTECH, had narrated, “We were at a lounge in the Under-G area for a convocation party around 2am when we heard that some people were fighting outside. When we discovered that the place was getting rowdy, we stepped out only to see policemen dispersing the crowd and shooting directly at the people.
“I sustained bullet wounds, but my brother, who came for my convocation, was shot in the head. He was confirmed dead at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital and was taken to the mortuary,” he had said.
The FESSU president told the Ekiti Assembly speaker, “We demand a swift investigation into this matter and the culprit should be brought to book. We demand for compensation for the family of the deceased.
“We also demand comprehensive medical treatment for his brother, who sustained a gunshot injury. He is at home and his health is deteriorating.
“We demand an end to police brutality in Nigeria. Police should be our friend, save us and not kill us.
“We have come to the House of Assembly today to speak with the Speaker to liaise with his counterpart in Oyo State for swift justice for Iyanda Damilola and Iyanda Oluwafemi. They are from Ekiti State and raised and brought up in Ogotun Ekiti.”
Responding, the Speaker, Aribasoye, condemned the killing of the corps member, describing it as senseless
The Speaker said, “We express our condolences to the family and we condemn the killing and unprofessionalism of the police officer who murdered one of us, a youth from Ekiti State who is also serving his fatherland in cold blood.
“We condemn it and the House will be sitting. We will have a position during our plenary. Our resolutions will be passed and I know the House will condemn it. It is so unfortunate his life was cut short,” the speaker said.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
