Students in Ogun State, under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS), on Tuesday protested the death of a student of Gateway Polytechnic, Idowu Pelumi David, who was allegedly killed by a hit-and-run driver.
Idowu, a ND 1 of Public Administration, was reportedly crushed to death by a hit-and-run driver in front of the camp of the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, along Ayepe-Sagumu last week.
The students accused a staff NYSC of driving the car that killed Idowu.
The students staged the protest at the Ogun State Police Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, demanding an investigation into Idowu’s death.
The students were armed with placards with various inscriptions such as: “Every live matters”, “We cannot be silenced on justice” and “Ogun Students Demands Arrest and Prosecution of NYSC State Coordinator, Diana Nasamu For Obstruction Of Justice”.
Speaking during the protest, the state chairman of NANS, Francis Adeyanju, said, “We are here to register our displeasure over the demise of one of our students. We want to believe that justice will prevail.
“We have done our investigation and we have seen the truth, but it seems these people are trying to hide something from us. The state coordinator of NYSC is trying to hide something from us, she is hiding the driver of the suspected car that killed the student.
“Eyewitness claimed that the driver of the suspected vehicle that killed the student drove into the NYSC camp immediately but the state coordinator has continued to deny this obvious truth.”
Also speaking, the National President of NAOSS, Kehinde Thomas, urged the Police in the state to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure that justice is served.
“We will not sit idly and allow the incident to be swept under the carpet. Lives of the Ogun State students matter. Death is naturally the end of us all, we all agree. But, this careless killing of Idowu Pelumi David, must not go without the perpetrator being brought to book.
“Students in the state strongly believe in the integrity and capability of the police in the state, to thoroughly investigate the incident and ensure justice is not only done, but seen to be served,” Thomas said.
Addressing the protesters, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Manger Fergus said the Police had already commenced investigation into the death of the student.
He assured the students of justice and urged them to remain peaceful in expressing their grievances.