Students Body Cries Out Over Police Harassment Along Highways In Ekiti, Threatens To Shut Down Economic Activities

By Ayodele Oni

The Association of Southern Nigerian Students, (ASONIS) has cried out over incessant harassment of students in tertiary institutions in Ekiti state by security agents.

The Association, in a letter signed by Taiwo Temitope, President elect; and Ifeanyi Gilbert, Public Relations Officer, condemned random invasion of campuses by official of anti graft agencies and molestations of student on the highways by policemen.

It warned that students from the zone might be forced to disrupt the enabling peace of necessary action is not taken against the overzealous security agents.

In a letter to beads of security agencies in the zone with copies to Ekiti state Governor Biodun Oyebanji and the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) the students body noted that “It has caught our attention that Nigerian Students schooling across the tertiary Institutions both Federal and State owned have been experiencing high level of molestations and harassment from security agencies in Ekiti State. As a matter of fact it is getting worse day after day.

“The Nigerian Police Force is to protect lives and properties within the society. They are to uphold the fundamental human rights of the citizens and not to put them under oppression and molestations as recorded the past few Months in Ekiti State.

“Student leaders have been notified concerning the antics of police officials across the highways and domestic routes of Ekiti State and at some point lives have been lost due to accidents caused by unethical chasing of cars by police officers and security agencies.

“It is quite disheartening that students who are to be future leaders and savior of their families from poverty have surrendered their lives to the cold hand of death due to highway accidents initiated by these security agencies. We detest, negate and reject these high level of unethical conducts from officers of the Nigerian Police Force.

“However, NANS EKITI JCC has written a letter dated Saturday 13/04/2024 to the peace loving and students friendly Governor of Ekiti State to please speedily intervene in this issue so as not to witness massive reactions from the student union bodies across the State.

“As a matter of fact some days ago, the new leadership of ASONIS engaged with the Police Public Relations Officer Of Ekiti on this particular issue and he gave us assurance that the excesses of these Police officers on the roads in Ekiti will be controlled to the bearest minimum because the Commissioner of police Ekiti police command wants peace and harmony and unity between the security agencies and the students community.

“Thus, we call on the Chief Security Officer of Ekiti State to expedite actions and see that these officers are cautioned and comported in the discharge of their duties. Enough is enough.

“Finally, we won’t hesitate to shut down the economy and smooth running of Ekiti State if they continue to put our Students under unworthy embarrassment and molestations.

“ASONIS national and NANS EKITI JCC as well as other student bodies will not relent on the agitation for proper conducts of the Nigerian Police Force.

“We won’t allow them to put the Nigeria Students into danger of riots as experienced during the endsars and this is the more reason we are calling on Ekiti State Governor, His Excellency Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, the Inspector General Of Police and the Assistant Inspector General Of Police Southwest Zone to call them to order.”