Students at the Kwara State Polytechnic are protesting the
killing of their colleague at a police checkpoint in Ilorin.
The institution’s student union government has also
mobilised members of the polytechnic campus in a procession to the state’s
police headquarters to demand an open investigation into the matter.
Quayum Abdulyekeen Ishola, an ND2 student of Electrical and
Electronics Engineering at Kwara Poly, was killed on September 4.
Student sources say the deceased was shot at a checkpoint
along the Panat-ShopRite Road in Ilorin by men in police uniforms.
Ishola, who was said to have ruptured a vein, died from
blood loss on September 5 at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police force PRO, identified the
police officers involved as Abiodun Kayode (inspector), James Emmanuel
(inspector), and Oni Philip (sergeant), all from the operations department of
the state’s police command.
Adejobi stated that the officers have been detained pending
investigation at the force’s criminal investigations department in Abuja.
It is not clear what transpired to warrant a discharge of
ammunition but campus sources say the checkpoint along the Panat-ShopRite Road
had become notorious for police extortion and harassment targeted at students.
Saheed Olalekan Ishola, Kwara Poly’s student union
president, spoke on the matter at a press conference on Monday.
He said the campus community demands a comprehensive probe
into the case and an end to extortionist activities targeted at students.
“The investigation must be conducted without any form of
secrecy or ambiguity whatsoever. We’re sure that there are several houses in
the vicinity of the murder with CCTV,” he said.
“We demand an
immediate and permanent halt to stop-and-search operations along post
office/polytechnic routes, which have become notorious for police brutality and
extortion. Police officers should be officially restrained from checking cell
phones on highways.”
The protesters demanded that a police-student relations
committee be set up to tackle issues affecting the safety of campus
communities.
They sought compensation for the bereaved family and a
public parade of the officers involved in the killing of the student.
The protesters gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the force to
respond to the demands or risk an “unceasing protest” for justice.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on Areatatafo.com.ng to reach thousands of our daily users
