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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Students’ Union Government (SUG), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has called on the government to bring the killers of Rachael Abiola Opadele, a final year student of Fine and Applied Arts of the institution, to justice.
The trio of the SUG President in the university, Anuoluwa Adeboye; General Secretary, Okiki Opaleke and Public Relations Officer, Gabriel Michael, made the demand in a statement, yesterday. Rachael was abducted in the early hours of July 29, 2022, in a hotel at Aaba, a community close to LAUTECH, where she was working as an ad hoc staff because she did not want to say at home, doing nothing, following the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The owner of the hotel was also kidnapped and the duo were reportedly shot dead by their abductors, after collecting N5 million ransom from their families. The statement by the SUG titled, “The Murder of Rachael Opadele: A Cry of Agony and Justice’, read in part: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the gruesome killing of our dear student, Rachael, a final year student of LAUTECH, wo was kidnapped where she was working in Ogbomoso, due to the ongoing ASUU strike.
“This is a dark moment in our school as we were lashed with the death of one of us. We were consumed when we first heard about her kidnap, and we led the team to write to governments, security operatives, and all concerned stakeholders to see to her release. It’s so disheartening and terrible to have heard her dead in the early hours of today (Wednesday). Our heart is bleeding. Despite the notice to the government, security operatives, and all other stakeholders, there was no known form of genuine commitment demonstrated by all of them, in addressing this ugly trend in our community and the state.
“The government should act fast and let justice be served. As a matter of urgency, we are challenging the government to present to the public the killer(s) of our dear colleague. Enough of killing innocent Nigerians. We won’t continue to fold our arms, while the government continues to be lackadaisical about security matters in our community.
“Our warmest condolences are with the family, friends, and well wishers of Rachael Opadele. All Ladoke Akintola University of Technology students mourn with you for we are in this together. May the Good Lord comfort us all. May justice be granted for our loss. #Justice4Rachael.”
