Students At Ajasin University Riot Over Their Colleague Killed By Hit-and-Run Driver

A riot broke out in the early hours of today at Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko (AAUA) in
Ondo State after a driver hit and killed a student o the institution.

The students were incensed on learning that a reckless and impatient driver, knocked down, Segun Adesuyan, a 300 level Microbiology student and fled the scene, leaving the deceased in a pool of blood.

Eyewitnesses said the culprit was driving a mini bus popularly called 'Agolo' when the tragic incident happened at the Ajax junction close to the school. A student told a correspondent of SaharaReporters that the deceased student was rushing to a morning lecture when he fell prey to the hit-and-run driver.

As the sad news filtered through the campus, some students, especially those who knew the victim,gathered at the scene of his death to stage a protest.

The students barricaded the roads leading to the main gate of the campus and chanted angry war songs. The irate students demanded that residents of the community where the accident occurred should immediately identify the hit-and-run driver.

The students also blocked the gate to the university,disallowing passage to motorists. SaharaReporters learned that some police officers were drafted to the scene from Ikare and Akungba Akoko Divisions to guard against any outbreak of violence in the town.

The heavily armed police officers shot sporadically into the air to scare away the rioting students. Six of the demonstrating students fainted when the police officers fired canisters of teargas at them, creating a tense situation.

The body of the deceased student has been deposited at Ikare Akoko Hospital morgue. A police source said the late student's parents had been notified of the tragic event and were expected to arrive soon.

Our correspondent reported that all lectures and administrative activities at the institution had been suspended for today. Meanwhile, the executive members of the Students Union Government have issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the community to produce the driver, believed to be from the immediate community where the accident occurred.

Some students threatened that violence would erupt if the community failed to identify and hand over the reckless driver.