10 injured in Ondo as group supporting Akeredolu’s re-election allegedly attack students

By BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Akure

Some students allegedly working for the re-election of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State have allegedly unleashed mayhem on the campuses of the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, and Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), leaving no fewer than 10 students injured.

The students were said to be members of the Akeredolu Support Group and they were alleged to have attempted to force some students of the institutions to endorse Governor Akeredolu for second term but the students declined, hence the attack in them.

The chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Ondo State axis, Mr Afees Akinteye who confirmed the attack, called on the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bolaji Lawal to arrest those involved in the mayhem.

A few students of both institutions were said to have resisted the group which had earlier done an endorsement programme at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko.

Led by Olanrewaju Emmanuel Akeredolu, a former president, National Association of Ondo Students (NAOS), the group was said to be visiting all tertiary institutions in the state to coerce students into the group.

But some students of Adeyemi College of Education who were on campus were said to have resisted the group from gaining entry into the campus.

Emmanuel was said to have gone to town to reinforce and unleashed mayhem on the campus before heading to OAUSTECH, Okitipupa where they perpetrated same dastardly act.

The President, Students Union Government, OAUSTECH, Damilola Okunomo told newsmen that the group arrived at the gate of the campus to distribute palliatives and asked few students on campus to declare support for Governor Akeredolu’s second term bid by taking photograph with them.

“But we told him we could not do that. We said if we do that, it means we are comfortable with the present situation in our school. Governor Akeredolu reviewed upward our tuition to N200,000 as Engineering students. We don’t have enough lecturers, no power supply on our campus, lecture rooms are not enough, no laboratory. Is this same government that we are going to support to continue in office? God forbid.

“When we declared that we could not support the governor, Emmanuel and his group who arrived in about seven vehicles attacked a few of us on campus. They outnumbered us. They snatched and destroyed phones of some of us who were taking photographs and recording their violent activities at our gate. They even went away with my power bank,” Okunomo added.

When contacted, Emmanuel denied attacking students of the institutions, though admitted that his group was attacked by some miscreants at Adeyemi College of Education.

He explained that his group was supporting the second term bid of Governor Akeredolu, therefore, his group was touring all campuses in the state to distribute palliatives to students who were marooned in school at the outbreak of COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown. (Saturday Sun)