Following the crisis that rocked Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, on Sunday, where property worth millions of naira were destroyed, the Alumni Association of the institution has condemned the alleged wanton destruction of property of the institution and alleged acts of burglary and robbery displayed by the rampaging students.
The Alumni, which refuted the allegation that students were being treated like ‘kindergartens’, praised the management of the institution, for not shutting down the school and disrupting the ongoing first semester examinations in spite of the students’ unrest.
DAILY POST reports that 17 students of the University alleged to have taken part in the protest are presently being tried at the Chief Magistrate Court in Ado Ekiti and they have now been remanded in prison custody on court’s order.
Addressing newsmen in the university on Thursday, the National President of the Association, Miss Tope Sobajo, said such violent attack was not in the culture of the university, advising the students not to destroy the citadel of learning known for academic excellence and moral uprightness.
Sobajo clarified that strictness and not allowing students to stroll out of the campus as they like, which could make them become night crawlers , were the reasons being misinterpreted by some people to mean a ‘demeaning treatment’ of students by management .
The President, who is a masters’ degree student of the university, said she neither witnessed nor noticed any case of rape or drug peddling during her four years in the university, describing the allegations on social media as unsubstantiated and targeted at reducing the respect the university commands.
Sobajo corroborated the position of the management that students with less than 1.00 cumulative grade masterminded the attack.
“The malicious damage of 27 cars , offices and FESTO Mechatronics laboratory worth N350m, is certainly uncalled for. If students have issues, they ought to pass through the proper channels.
“We, the Alumni Association, condemns in very strong terms the act of burglary, stealing and deliberate and willful damage of property as well as attempts to kill with a knife and inflicting bodily injuries on policemen and other security agents by protesters.
“We also condemn in strong terms the breaking into the VC’s office , cafeteria and may other offices as well as the boutique where the rampaging students away valuables worth millions of which were later found in their possession,” the statement said.
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