Security operatives in Obafemi Awolowo University ile-ife has on Friday assaulted a student of the institution for protesting fuel hike announced in the early hours of Friday by the federal government which caused transport fare increment on campus.
DAILY GIST gathered the assaulted student named Owoeye Olaoluwa is a 400 level student in the Institution’s faculty of law.
Some students of the university on Friday had converged at the campus gate to express their displeasure over the transportation hike that arose as a result of petrol price increment.
Recall that the federal government through Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, on Friday had fixed N212 for the new petrol price, a development which generate a serious outrage from Nigerians.
The agency, hours after the alleged fuel hike report however reverses it’s decision, a check by DAILY GIST also confirmed that the report has been deleted from PPPRA website. Although as to what really triggers the reversal, It was unclear whether pressure was mounted on PPPRA to delete the template to douse public outcry, a move that was not immediately clarified by officials.
Many of the passengers on campus, largely students alleged that with the option of no choice, they were forced to pay N100 or 70 to places that’s used to be N80 or N50 respectively.
An eyewitness narrated that some of the students on campus as a result intervened on the matter, urging the transporters to stop the price increment.
DAILY GIST gathered that while the intervention was going on, some security officers of the university visited the scene and were forcefully dispersing the students.
“When the school security came, they ordered students to leave campus gate but the student-activists resisted. It was at that point they assaulted Olaoluwa. His shirt was torn and his trousers removed publicly,” Seun Alayo, one of the protesters, said.
Reliable Source revealed that Mr Olaoluwa and four others were detained at the security department of the institution
Its unclear to DAILY GIST whether those protesters detained have been released as at the time of publishing this report.
Effort to speak with the OAU spokesman, Abiodun Olarenwaju to seek more clarifications on the report proved abortive.
Below is a video clip of the moment students were left stranded on campus as a result of the transport fare increment
Fuel Hike: OAU Students Left Stranded On Campus After Transport Fare Increment pic.twitter.com/M8sU9DQeTY
— DAILY GIST (@dailygistonline) March 12, 2021
