OGUN: Students Plan Protest Over Colleague Killed By Hit-And-Run Driver

Save Our Nation SON

July 12, 2024

Students, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Students, Ogun State chapter, on Thursday, disclosed plans to protest the death of one of their colleagues, a 24-year-old student of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Aiyepe Annex, Pelumi David, who was said to have been killed by a hit-and-run driver on Monday.

It was gathered that David, an ND1 Public Administration student at the Aiyepe campus of the institution, died alongside 22-year-old Hassan Ariyo, the motorcyclist carrying him to his destination.

The fleeing driver was said to have hit David and the motorcyclist from the rear in front of the Ogun State Orientation Camp of National Youth Service Corps along Ikenne/Sagamu Road, killing both of them.

Confirming the incident, spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, SP Omolola Odutola, said the car lost control and collided with the motorcycle, causing both the rider and his passenger to fall and sustain fatal head injuries.

Odutola said, “On Monday at about 2 pm a fatal hit-and-run accident took place in Sakura Division along the Sagamu/Ikenne Road.

“The incident involved an unknown black Toyota Camry car and an unregistered Bajaj motorcycle, ridden by 22-year-old Hassan Ariyo from Ikenne and his passenger, 24-year-old Pelumi Ade, a student at Sapade Gateway Polytechnic.

“Their bodies were removed and taken to OOUTH Mortuary. The parents of the deceased, accompanied by the Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, have requested the bodies for burial.

“Efforts are underway to apprehend the fleeing driver, and a sketch map and photographs have been taken for reference”.

However, students bodies in the state said plans to protest the unjust death of the student alleging the connivance of the NYSC officials to shield the driver who is believed to have killed this student and the motorcyclist

The students disclosed this, in a statement on Thursday, jointly signed by Comrade Adeyanju Francis Oluwafemi, Chairman,

National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS JCC/Ogun Axis, Comrade Thomas Kehinde, National President,

National Association of Ogun State Students and Comr Bestman Okereafor, President, Progressive Students Movement

The students’ groups claimed that the suspected driver of the grey colour-Toyota Camry had reportedly fled into the NYSC Orientation Camp after running over the victims.

They explained that the NYSC officials had denied that the suspected driver was hiding inside the camp and this led to heated argument between the students and some soldiers at the entrance of the camp.

The students disclosed that following the intervention of the Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Hon Shittu, the Area Commander, Sagamu, and DPO Sakora Division, the suspected vehicle was brought out and just washed with the towel used in washing the car and also used in covering the vehicle number plate .

The security personnel were said to have compelled the NYSC officials, after which they produced the owner of the car, who was said to have identified himself as Ojo Aina.

The student bodies, while commending the swift response of the Nigerian Police and intelligence of Sagamu Area commander, however, expressed displeasure that the suspected vehicle and driver are yet to be in police custody.

They equally demanded the replacement of the state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Olayinka Nasamu, for her alleged insensitivity and lack of empathy for the dead, saying that she has not acted in a way to protect the interests of young Nigerians.

The student’s groups said, “The accident that claimed the life of our student and another youth was never a head-on collision as claimed based on the injury sustained by the victims when their dead bodies were observed.

“We also demand the immediate replacement of Mrs Olayinka Diana Nasamu, the inhumane State Coordinator, NYSC Ogun State, for lack of empathy and lackadaisical attitude towards the dead as a supposed mother.

“She was not only arrogant, but also mannerless and pompous, yet uttering words that are unheard of from a supposed mother.

“Nigerian students will, in our thousands, be protesting at the NYSC State Secretariat the death of our student by the driver who drove into the NYSC premises and said to be an NYSC staff.

“We demand that the driver of the alleged vehicle and the vehicle be thoroughly investigated! The protest shall be affirmatively holding on Monday, July 15.

The students equally appealed to the management of Gateway ICT Polytechnic to take full responsibility of the funeral of the student.

Reacting to the allegation, the NYSC State Coordinator, when contacted by our correspondent, denied being involved in the unfortunate incident.

Nasamu said she was quite surprised to hear of such unfounded allegations and baseless reports.

She said, “I am not aware of such allegation, the allegations are unfounded; they should have gone to the right authority to get their facts right. I am surprised to hear of such unfounded allegation”.