From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Students in Ogun State, under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS), on Tuesday protested the death of a student of Gateway Polytechnic, Ayepe Annex, Idowu Pelumi David, allegedly killed by a hit-and-run driver.
Idowu, an ND 1 Public Administration student, was reportedly crushed to death by a hit-and-run driver in front of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp along Ayepe-Sagumu last week.
The students accused an NYSC staff member 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 carried placards with various inscriptions, such as: “Every life matters”, “We cannot be silenced on justice”, and “Ogun Students Demand Arrest and Prosecution of NYSC State Coordinator, Diana Nasamu, for Obstruction of Justice”.
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Presenting their protest letter to the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Manger Fergus, who represented the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Abiodun Alamutu, 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.
“Eyewitnesses 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, accused the state coordinator of NYSC, Olayinka Diana Nasamu, of a cover-up.
“This peaceful protest is to express our sadness and grievance over the senseless crushing to death of Idowu Pelumi David, an ND1 Public Administration student of Gateway Polytechnic, Ayepe Annex, by a staff member of the National Youth Service Corps in the state.
“We will not sit idly and allow the incident to be swept under the carpet. The lives of 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, ACP Fergus said the police had already commenced an investigation into the student’s death.
He assured the students of justice and urged them to remain peaceful in expressing their grievances.