By Yusuf Boluwatife
The management of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, has shut down the institution till further notice, following a protest over the alleged assault and arrest of some students by soldiers.
This was contained in a statement issued by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs A.O Odubela, ordering all students to vacate the campuses immediately.
All it began on Thursday evening when soldiers arrested some students at a military check point close to Conoil Filling Station along the Sagamu-Benin expressway.
In a bid to secure their release, the Student Union Government (SUG) President, Rabiu Sodiq was also arrested and taken to Ilese Barracks.
This forced students to block the Lagos-Benin expressway on Friday to demand that their colleagues be freed. Report has it that soldiers arrived the scene and fired into the air to disperse the protesting students.
The SUG Senate President, Moradeyo Johnson and Chief Judge, Ayobami Kareem, in a statement, alleged that innocent students of the varsity have been extorted by military men.
“Uniformed men of Nigerian military invaded the students’ community of our dear university and melted absolute injustice, extortion, and assaults on peace-loving students.
“TASUEDITES who are going by their legitimate and calm businesses were cornered at CONOIL Filling Station, the Express Road that leads to the University second gate. They were arrested and assaulted for no reason. To make things worst, the soldiers asked students to bail themselves up with N50, 000 and those who could not do that were detained and taken away (most likely to the barrack).
“As responsible and responsive students’ union officers, upon hearing the ugly development, we swung into action and make frantic efforts to mediate and rescue students from this injustice and assault cum fraudulent exploitation. This calm and ideal effort by the students’ union was met with strong resistance by the military men, who, assaulted and abducted the Students’ Union President.
“The Senate President was also severely injured and many comrades were beaten, whipped, and abducted by the military men,” the statement read in part.
Meanwhile, the university management claimed that no student was abducted from any of the campuses or shot dead, adding that military personnel wasn’t invited to the school.
“It should be made clear that the University Management at no time invited any military personnel or security agencies into the campus as all the university campuses are peaceful and calm.
“No student was abducted from any of the University’s Campuses, nor was any student shot dead,” it said.
