ASUU talks tough over Unilorin lecturer beaten to coma by student, vows action

By FATIMA MOHAMMED-LAWAL

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ilorin (Unilorin) Chapter, has condemned the attack of a female lecturer of Faculty of Life Sciences, Mrs Rahmat Zakariyyah, by a student of the institution.

Prof. Moyosore Ajao, the Chairman of the association, made the condemnation during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ilorin.

NAN reports that a 400 Level student of the Department of Microbiology, simply identified as Salaudeen Waliyu, aka Captain Walz, allegedly beat the lecturer to a coma.

The student was alleged to have attacked the lecturer in her office because she refused to help him over his failure to do the mandatory Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

Reacting to the development, Ajao told NAN that the union would never allow “this dastardly act to go unaddressed”.

“It is not just because the lecturer is a female but because she is a human being and violence is never tolerated in ASUU, more or less in a university where character and learning are the essence of it.

“ASUU is patiently waiting on what the university management is going to do before we now apply our own action.

“But I can tell you that the union is not sleeping on the matter and we are never going to allow such matters to be swept under the carpet,” he stated.

The ASUU chairman explained that the matter of the assault has already been reported to the law enforcement agencies.

On speculation whether the student was under the influence of drugs, Ajao observed that in every 12, there is always a Judas, adding that though the students of the institution are largely well behaved, there are bound to be uncouth elements around.

“The university must demonstrate the capacity to deal with such an act, apart from that they must ensure that such a thing never happens again.

“You can’t have a student population of over 50,000 and you expect all of them to be disciplined.

“Whether under the influence of drugs or whatever is immaterial to ASUU. If he is under the influence of drugs, he left his house, are you telling me he did not see anybody, why did he choose to attack the particular lecturer?” Ajao asked rhetorically.

The ASUU chairman said the union would also petition the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to also look at the possibility of drug usage in the incidence of the attack.

“I expect the NDLEA to swing into action. The union will petition to say, ‘these are the people you are looking for, you have had one and we are yet to hear anything’,” he added.

Ajao maintained that the union would continue to be proactive by protecting its members, adding that an injury to one is an injury to all. (NAN)