Gunshots at Delta poly over student union election, foodstuff prices

There were gunshots at the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Monday, over the Student Union Government (SUG) poll and hike in prices of foodstuff.

The students were said to be divided between those in favour and those opposed to protest against hike in prices of foodstuff on campus in a near free-for-all.

While the fight that ensued on campus lasted, some rival cult members were said to engage in a shooting spree outside the campus as residents scampered for safety.

“There was a protest over SUG election, hike in foodstuffs and some other issues that led to gunshots in the school premises.

“There was also cult clash outside the school premises, but the protest was in the school premises,” an HND 1 female student, who excused herself from an ongoing lecture to respond to our correspondent on phone on Monday evening, said.

Other unconfirmed sources, however, hinted that the gunmen, suspected to be cult boys, invaded lecture halls of the school, releasing some lead into the air.

The sources said students had to escape for dear lives through the windows as the bad boys continued in their gun-toting brigandage.

The gunshots, the unconfirmed sources added, rented the atmosphere around the Department of Science and Laboratory Technology, forcing both lecturers and students to scamper for safety.

It could not be established whether lives were lost or injuries were sustained during.

Reports had it that a final year student of the Department of Mechanical Engineering was shot shortly after he wrote his last paper, just as further reports disclosed that one Tony was earlier shot dead and that over the weekend, a noodles seller, simply identified Tallest, was also murdered.

When contacted, the image-maker of the Delta Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, denied the shooting spree, saying in a message: “false, pls, absolutely false.”

He, however, confirmed that “There was an agreement for them (students) to protest; I think some students did not key into it; the other students came to confront them, but police and other sister agencies were on the ground.” (Nigerian Tribune)