ASUP appeals to Buhari, Buratai to investigate Military invasion of Kogi Poly
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP) Kogi state Polytechnics chapter has condemned the recent Military invasion of the institution and called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the chief of Army Staff Lt. General Tukur Buratai to institute a high power investigation.
The invasion and brutalisation of both students and staff of the institution by some soldiers on the alleged order of the state government was not only cruel,but inhuman.
The soldiers were alleged to have been drafted by the state government to quell the students protest over the killimg of their colleagues by the Dangote truck which was involved in an accident near the gate of the main campus in lokoja on wednesday
The truck which was loaded with Dangote cement rammed into some bystanders and some oncoming vehicles killing about three students and some other unidentified persons
Some students were alleged to have rushed to the gate of their school to protest the killings of their colleagues to the management for appropriate action, while hoodlums from outside the campus also took over Lokoja. – Abuja road destroying other Dangote vehicles on sight
Speaking to the press yesterday in lokoja, the chairman of ASUP of the school Mr. Gboloromi Sunday Samuel condemned the action of the Army whom he alleged stormed the campus searching every nook and crany, brutalising students and staff who were supervising semester examinations.
According to the union leader, ” Soldiers who were armed to the teeth stormed the campus, entered every corner even our bedrooms arresting both students, lecturers and non academic staff, hounding them into detention, even as they were shooting teargas sporadically, into classrooms and offices .
” Infact, two heavily pregnant female students were forced to lay down on their tummies until they fainted before they were rushed to the hospital. Many of our colleagues were hospitalized, as the soldiers went from campus churches to mosque to arrest even the worshippers.
” It is barbaric and those soldiers involved should not only apologize but should be brought to book . It is unfortunate that in a democratic setting, soldiers would storm an academic environment to brutalise and humiliate and arrest students who were protesting the death of their colleagues.
” Even in a war situation , once one run into a church or mosque, one will be left alone but these soldiers violated rules of engagement by brutalizing and arresting hapless students, they should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians.” He demanded.
While appealing to the president Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the barbaric acts of the military on hapless students and lecturers , called for caution in using the military in a civil or students protest, stressing that the police which is constitutionally empowered should be used in civil matters to prevent the loss of lives of the innocent future leaders.
In a swift reaction , the Special Adviser to the governor of security matters, Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd) blamed the students for invading the highways vandalising and burning three trucks belonging to Dangote cement company.
According to the special adviser , ” When I got the report that the students were rioting , although , the incident was regrettable, as you know government wouldnt send trucks to go and kill the students. We moved in swiftly, to curtail the excesses of the students who had taken to the highways barricaded and burning tyres and harrassing and injuring commuters and passersby.
” It is painful that their colleagues died, but that was not a justification to take laws into their hands. we called in security personnel, such as Police, Civil Defence and the Department of state security DSS to restore sanity and it was at this point that I went there.There was total lawlessness as hoodlums have taken over. Then , I informed the commissioner of Police to send reinforcement and Army backup to curtail the riot.
” All the roads were barricaded and tyres being burnt and commuters molested and three of the commuters lost their lives and I said , does the accident warrant them to destroy public properties. The students later went to their campus to vandalise school properties before the police and the Army went in. Army did not invade the school, rather , they came in after the situation became uncontrollable. it was like war scenerio.
“ASUP should apologize on behalf of the students for invading the highways and killing three innocent persons.and not being able to control their students whom they are leading and not to always looking for the negative sides of every issue.” He charged.
Omodara, added that the state government has commenced the process to avert future occurrence, stressing that speed limiters may be built on those spots after due diligence and to erect flyover at the polytechnics spot.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the state National Youth Council of Nigeria,( NYCN) comrade Oladele Nihi said he was saddened by the frequent loss of students’ lives to Dangote trucks, while calling on the government to commence immediate and permanent measures to forestall the loss of students’ lives even as he solicited for the release of the students in detention in connection to the riot.
Lokoja
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP) Kogi state Polytechnics chapter has condemned the recent Military invasion of the institution and called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the chief of Army Staff Lt. General Tukur Buratai to institute a high power investigation.
The invasion and brutalisation of both students and staff of the institution by some soldiers on the alleged order of the state government was not only cruel,but inhuman.
The soldiers were alleged to have been drafted by the state government to quell the students protest over the killimg of altheir colleagues by the Dangote truck which was involved in an accident near the gate of the main campus in lokoja on wednesday
The truck which was loaded with Dangote cement rammed into some bystanders and some oncoming vehicles killing about three students and some other unidentified persons
Some students were alleged to have rushed to the gate of their school to protest the killings of their colleagues to the management for appropriate action, while hooldrums from outside the campus also took over Lokoja. – Abuja road destroying other Dangote vehicles onsight
Speaking to the press yesterday in lokoja, the chairman of ASUP of the school Mr. Gboloromi Sunday Samuel condemned the action of the Army whom he alleged stormed the campus searching every nook and crany, brutalising students and staff who were supervising semester examinations.
According to the union leader, ” Soldiers who were armed to the teeth stormed the campus, entered every corner even our bedrooms arresting both students, lecturers and non academic staff, hounding them into detention, even as they were shooting teargas sporadically, into classrooms and offices .
” Infact, two heavily pregnant female students were forced to lay down on their tummies until they fainted before they were rushed to the hospital. Many of our colleagues were hospitalized, as the soldiers went from campus churches to mosque to arrest even the worshippers.
” It is barbaric and those soldiers involved should not only apologize but should be brought to book . It is unfortunate that in a democratic setting, soldiers would storm an academic environment to brutalise and humiliate and arrest students who were protesting the death of their colleagues.
” Even in a war situation , once one run into a church or mosque, one will be left alone but these soldiers violated rules of engagement by brutalizing and arresting hapless students, they should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians.” He demanded.
While appealing to the president Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the barbaric acts of the military on hapless students and lecturers , called for caution in using the military in a civil or students protest, stressing that the police which is constitutionally empowered should be used in civil matters to prevent the loss of lives of the innocent future leaders.
In a swift reaction , the Special Adviser to the governor of security matters, Navy Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd) blamed the students for invading the highways vandalising and burning three trucks belonging to Dangote cement company.
According to the special adviser , ” When I got the report that the students were rioting , although , the incident was regrettable, as you know government wouldnt send trucks to go and kill the students. We moved in swiftly, to curtail the excesses of the students who had taken to the highways barricaded and burning tyres and harrassing and injuring commuters and passersby.
” It is painful that their colleagues died, but that was not a justification to take laws into their hands. we called in security personnel, such as Police, Civil Defence and the Department of state security DSS to restore sanity and it was at this point that I went there.There was total lawlessness as hoodlums have taken over. Then , I informed the commissioner of Police to send reinforcement and Army backup to curtail the riot.
” All the roads were barricaded and tyres being burnt and commuters molested and three of the commuters lost their lives and I said , does the accident warrant them to destroy public properties. The students later went to their campus to vandalise school properties before the police and the Army went in. Army did not invade the school, rather , they came in after the situation became uncontrollable. it was like war scenerio.
” ASUP should apologize onbehalf of the students for invading the highways and killing three innocent persons.and not being able to control their students whom they are leading and not to always looking for the negative sides of every issue.” He charged.
Omodara, added that the state government has commenced the process to avert future occurrence, stressing that speed limiters may be built on those spots after due dilligence and to erect flyover at the polytechnics spot.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the state National Youth Council of Nigeria,( NYCN) comrade Oladele Nihi said he was saddened by the frequent loss of students’ lives to Dangote trucks, while calling on the government to commence immediate and permanent measures to forestal the loss of the students’ lives even as he solicited for the release of the students in detention in connection to the riot.
