MAPOLY: Protesting students will pay for damaged property - Amosun insists
- 20 MAPOLY students have been arrested by Police for allegedly destroying public and private property during a protest
- The institution's students body had planned to protest the delay in commencement of their semester exams for one week
- Ibikunle Amosun, the state governor, said the students would be made to pay for whatever property they damaged
The Ogun state police command on Tuesday, December 19, arrested 20 students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) for allegedly destroying public and private property in Abeokuta metropolis during a protest.
The students also allegedly injured a policeman during the protest, Premium Times reports.
The police have since taken over the Pansheke area of Abeokuta to prevent further protest from the students.
Legit.ng gathered that the students started a proposed one-week protest tagged “Black Week” on Monday due to the delay of their second semester examination for over three months caused by a face-off between the lecturers and state government.
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At the school premises, the protesting students requested the acting rector, Ayodeji Tella, to lead them to the state secretariat to table their complaints before the governor.
The rector subsequently rode in a Hilux van driven by the chief security officer of the school, Adekunle Adekoya, while the students hung to the back of the van.
Violence erupted when the vehicle conveying the acting rector allegedly suddenly zoomed off injuring about four students in the process.
When contacted, the state police public relations officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the arrests were necessary following the alleged destruction of public and private property.
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In his reaction to the incident, Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun said that the students would pay for any destruction made to public property.
He said: “They are instigating the students. We know how to handle ourselves. If any student destroys anything, they will pay for it, they will pay. We were also made to pay then,” he said apparently referring to his time as a student.
“I have been getting reports, they will pay, they have to pay for it (destruction) because this is Ogun State money.”
Legit.ng previously reported that hundreds of students of MAPOLY on Monday, December 18, blocked parts of the Abeokuta metropolis in protest of the delay in commencement of their semester examinations, Premium Times reports.
Legit.ng gathered that the protesters were seen carrying anti-government placards, on major streets of the town, marching towards the governor’s office at Oke-Mosan.
The students' leaders also reportedly had a letter of protest they wanted to submit to the governor.
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Source: Legit.ng
