Students of Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, on Saturday protested against outage in Erinfun community, leading to a clash with the police.
It was gathered that the students were angry that while they had been without electricity for over a month, a hostel for the junior staff of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, in the same area had been enjoying power supply.
The irate students stoned the vehicle of the founder of ABUAD, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), who was caught in the protest and attempted to vandalise the hostel.
The protest caused a serious gridlock on the road, which stretched over a kilometre before the arrival of the riot police, who tried to disperse the students by firing canisters of tear-gas.
The irate students in return threw stones and canisters of the expended tear-gas at the police.
The students, who failed to listen to pleas by the new Ekiti Commissioner of Police, Mr Frederick Lakanu, to stop the protest, blocked the Ado-Ijan-Ikare highway.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Victor Babayemi, said 30 students were arrested and would be charged to court for breach of public peace.
Many commuters were left stranded in the ensued melee.
A motorist, Mr. Jaye, who was on his way to Nigeria Immigration Service office, narrated his experience to our correspondent.
He said, “I planned to visit my siblings in Immigration but I had to turn back to my house because the traffic was at a standstill.
“The students are protesting because we have not had power supply for over a month in Erinfun. All efforts made to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to address the situation did not yield any response.”
The management of the FEDPOADO has however denied that the protesters were students of the institution.
In a statement on Saturday, the Deputy Registrar (Information), Ade Adeyemi-Adejolu, said the protesters were “youthful elements residing at the settlement who are masquerading as students.”
He added, “We wish to further state that students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, are law abiding and would not condescend so low to embark on such an ignoble act.”
Public Relations Officer of ABUAD, Mr Tunde Olofintila, confirmed that the protesters attacked Babalola’s vehicle and the hostel.
He said, “They complained that the Erinfun community has been having power supply for over a month and Chief Afe Babalola, as an elder statesman, and one w,hose influence brought the Federal Polytechnic to the state, decided to intervene in the matter.
“He called the Rector of the university and asked the students to send three of their representatives so that they could meet the unit head of the PHCN. At a point, they agreed but later said they were not going to meet with the PHCN and started the riot.
“They stoned Chief Afe’s vehicle and attacked part of the hostel in the community. We had no option than to alert the police who came to restore normalcy.”
Nah lie
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