‘We’ll ensure justice’ — LASU reacts to killing of ex-student

The Lagos State University (LASU) has reacted to the demise of Yusuf Nurudeen Alowonle, its former student.

The student activist, better known as Omomeewa, was shot dead by suspected robbers on Wednesday.

According to NAN, the varsity, in a statement by Ademola Adekoya, its spokesman, said it is deeply saddened by Nurudeen’s death.

The insitution said Nurudeen and Waheed Majekodunmi, its senior registrar, were attacked by the assailants which led to the demise of the former in the process.

It explained that on the day of the incident, the activist and other students having disciplinary cases had appeared before its panel to defend themselves.

The institution said the deceased, who graduated from the varsity in 2019, was yet to receive his certificate because of the disciplinary case against him.

It noted that the panel, which began sitting in 2019, was delayed by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

“The management received with great shock, the report of an attack on a former student of the university, Mr. Nurudeen Alowonle,  and a staff member, Mr. Waheed Majekodunmi, a Senior Assistant Registrar, which led to the untimely death of Alowonle,” it read.

“The university management is deeply saddened by the incident and expresses its heartfelt condolences to the immediate and extended families of the deceased, his colleagues, friends, and the students’ union.

“We have refrained from making a hurried statement until now in order to ascertain the facts considering the very sensitive nature of the incident.

“That the deceased former student, Alowonle, was yet to receive his certificate due to an ongoing disciplinary case that he was facing in the university and a  panel presiding over his case began sitting in 2019.

“The case continued until 2020 but the panel could not sit due to the COVID-19 pandemic then. He was, however, invited by the panel, along with other students who had ongoing disciplinary cases to defend themselves.

 “Alowonle appeared before the panel that day and was even the first student attended to by the panel, and his case was concluded before 2.00 p.m.

“He ostensibly remained on the university campus until late in the evening during which time he met up with Mr. Waheed Majekodunmi.

 “Unable to get vehicles at the school junction as it was late in the day, the duo were said to have trekked several meters away from the gate ostensibly in search of a vehicle.

“Unfortunately, they were attacked by suspected men of the underworld, dispossessed them of their valuables and shot them.

“The staff member, Majekodunmi, was lucky to have escaped with  gunshot wounds and eventually got helped by passers-by to a nearby hospital, but the former student did not survive the attack.

“The body of the deceased was said to have been deposited in a mortuary in Lagos, while the injured staff member is currently receiving treatment at the University Health Centre and responding well to treatment.”

The varsity said it would leave no stone unturned to ensure those behind the killing of the student activist are brought to book.

It also said the insitution’s security department is already working with the security agencies to investigate the incident.