Ondo varsity students protest rape, robbery by ‘hoodlums’

Students of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo have halted activities to protest what they described as “incessant” robbery and rape of their female colleagues by hoodlums.

According to NAN, the students partially blocked the Okitipupa-Igbokoda expressway, impeding free-flow of traffic to register their grievances.

Damilola Okunomo, the varsity’s students union president, said the students were tired of the level of insecurity in the area.

He said that the hoodlums rob students of their valuables like phones, laptops, gadgets and rape female students at gunpoint.

Okunomo said four female students were raped two weeks ago, alleging that the varsity management was not doing enough to secure the lives and properties of students.

“We are tired of this insecurity, armed hoodlums usually come to our off-campus hostels, rob students at gunpoint, and also rape our female students,” Okunomo said.

“The school management is not to doing enough as we are the ones securing ourselves by working as vigilantes most times, the situation is terrible.

“We urge the school management to do its best in securing us and complete all the uncompleted hostel accommodations in our campus as this will also guarantee our security.”

Ilemobayo Oguntimehin, dean of students affairs at OAUSTECH, stated that the university was having a meeting with the police, other security agencies, and traditional rulers towards addressing the situation.

He assured the students that their security was paramount to the varsity management.

The dean also charged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) to complete their hostels in the institution in order to enhance the security of students.

“We have been holding several security meetings over these issues but we cannot expose the meeting and I think the students are aware of this too,” Oguntimehin added.

“I urge the students not to take laws into their hands and allow the management to resolve these security issues amicably.”