The Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Dr. Theresa
Akande, has called on the Commissioner of
Police, Mr. Frederick Lakanu, to release the students arrested over the
Saturday’s protest that rocked Erunfun in Ado Ekiti.
The protesters in the Ebira community believed to be
populated by students of the institution were angry that while they had been
without electricity for over a month, a hostel for the junior members of staff
of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, in the same area had been enjoying
power supply.
The irate students stoned the vehicle of the founder of
ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), who was caught in the protest in an attempt to
vandalise the hostel.
The rector recalled that Babalola facilitated the relocation
of the polytechnic to Ado-Ekiti from Akure, capital of Ondo State in 1980 aside
being a fellow of the institution.
Saying that several innocent students and members of staff
of the polytechnic were arrested by the police during the protest, Akande
maintained that the students would not in any way denigrate his person or do
anything that would smear his image.
She lamented that the community had been under threat in
recent time due to influx of miscreants and dropouts from other schools, aside
the protracted epileptic power and water supply problems suffered by the
residents.
Ajibola said, “As peace-loving students, we are particularly
appalled at such acts of barbarism, especially against the a revered
personality like Chief Afe Babalola’ status.
“It is worthy to note that the management of this
institution , which also suffers from the same fate, has been doing all that is
humanly possible to provide basic amenities on the polytechnic campus.
“We deeply appreciate this and thus we had no cause to
complain of lack of power supply or water nor go or demonstration over same,”
he said.
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