- Students Allege Shooting by Security Team
- Government Accuses Protesters of Violence
The Ogun State Government and students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) on Wednesday traded accusations over an incident involving Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele during a student protest in Abeokuta.
The government alleged that the deputy governor narrowly escaped an attack by the protesting students, who reportedly obstructed her convoy and damaged some security vehicles. However, the students claimed that members of Salako-Oyedele’s security detail fired shots at them.
Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Communication, Kayode Akinmade, stated that the incident occurred while the deputy governor was en route to represent the governor at the Armed Forces Remembrance Day event at the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala. According to Akinmade, the students, armed with sticks and other projectiles, became more agitated upon recognizing the deputy governor’s convoy and allegedly attempted to block its passage.
To de-escalate tensions, Salako-Oyedele reportedly diverted to her lodge. Akinmade added that “some security vehicles were damaged, and officers were injured while trying to maintain law and order.”
However, the students provided a different narrative. Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Francis Adeyanju, Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Ogun State, accused the deputy governor’s security team of firing live rounds at them.
Adeyanju said, “We saw the deputy governor’s convoy and thought she had come to address us, but her team intimidated us and fired three shots. This is why our marathon protest will continue tomorrow.”
The students have been protesting against a reported increase in tuition fees and delays in mobilizing MAPOLY graduates for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). As of now, there has been no resolution to the standoff, with tensions expected to rise if both parties fail to reach an understanding.
