LAUTECH Students Stage Protest Over Alleged Killing of Colleague by Security Personnel

By: Emmanuel Ibitoye

In a fervent display of discontent, hundreds of students from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, Oyo State, took to the streets to voice their grievances following the reported death of a fellow student and the injury of two others allegedly by a security agent. According to sources from Ogbomoso, the tragic incident unfolded when a police officer intervened in a dispute among students.

Instead of diffusing the situation, the officer purportedly resorted to firing warning shots, resulting in the fatal shooting of one student and the wounding of two others.

The demonstrators effectively brought traffic to a standstill by barricading the major road that links Ogbomoso to Ibadan and other parts of the state, demanding justice for the deceased student and accountability from the authorities involved. One source implicated the officer in question as having a contentious history, particularly during the EndSARS protests, as a member of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), known for its alleged harassment of the LAUTECH community.

Amidst the ongoing convocation ceremony at the institution, students adamantly pressed for a halt to the proceedings, insisting that the incident must be addressed with utmost seriousness. Despite attempts to reach the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, for comment, no response was forthcoming at the time of this report.