The Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, narrowly escaped an attack by angry students during a protest in Abeokuta.
The students, hailing from the state-run Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), were voicing their concerns over several issues, including a rumored increase in tuition fees, delays in mobilization for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and the disbandment of the 2023/2024 Students’ Union Executives.
In response to the unrest, the institution was closed indefinitely on Monday, January 13, to ensure the safety of individuals and property. Nevertheless, the students persisted with their demonstrations on Wednesday, marching from the school gate through Onikolobo, Panseke, Oke-Ilewo, and various areas of Abeokuta to air their grievances.
The Deputy Governor’s convoy came across the protesters near the OPIC Roundabout-Iwe Irohin area of Oke-Ilewo, resulting in a tense standoff. According to a statement from the Governor’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the Deputy Governor was on his way to represent Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Armed Forces Remembrance Day event at the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, when the incident unfolded.
Akinmade claimed that once the students recognized the Deputy Governor, they surged toward the convoy wielding sticks and other potentially harmful items, despite efforts by security personnel to defuse the situation. He mentioned that the convoy had to reroute to the Deputy Governor’s residence to prevent further conflict. Additionally, he reported that some security vehicles were damaged and officers sustained injuries while trying to restore order.
The Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Ogun Joint Campus Committee, Adeyanju Francis, who spearheaded the protest, strongly denied the accusations. He claimed that it was the security personnel of the Deputy Governor who fired upon the peaceful protesters. Francis emphasized that the students were unarmed and had come together solely to voice their concerns regarding government policies. He rejected any notion of violence from the demonstrators, labeling the allegations against them as untrue.
