Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Dr. Theresa Akande and the Student Union Government have called on the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Frederick Lakanu, to release students arrested over the Saturday’s protest that rocked Erunfun in Ado Ekiti.

The protesters in the Ebira community believed to be populated by students of the institution were angry that while they had been without electricity for over a month, a hostel for the junior staff of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, in the same area had been enjoying power supply.

The irate students stoned the vehicle of the founder of ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) who was caught in the protest and attempted to vandalise the hostel.

At a joint press briefing with the SUG President, Ajibola Oladapo, on Sunday, the management of the Polytechnic, which exonerated its students of involvement in the riot sympathised with Babalola over the attack.

The Rector recalled that Babalola facilitated the relocation of the Polytechnic to Ado Ekiti from Akure, capital of Ondo State in 1980 aside being a fellow of the institution.

Saying that several innocent students and staff of the Polytechnic were arrested by the police during the protest, Akande maintained that the students of the institution would not in any way denigrate his person or do anything that will smear his image.

She lamented that the community had been under threat in recent time due to influx of miscreants and dropouts from other schools, aside the protracted epileptic power and water supply problems suffered by the residents.

“The community had been witnessing serious insecurity challenge in recent time. Some of the students who were dismissed from other schools had been settling there and this made it to look as if our students were involved. Those who partook in the protest were majorly miscreants from other schools and residents in the Ebira Community,” Akande said.

Ajibola said, “As peace-loving students, we are particularly appalled at such acts of barbarism, especially against the revered personality like Chief Afe Babalola’ status.

“It is worthy to note that the management of this institution , which also suffers from the same fate, have been doing all that is humanly possible to provide basic amenities on the polytechnic campus.

“We deeply appreciate this and thus we had no cause to complain of lack of power supply or water nor go for demonstration over same,” he said.
While appreciating the police for its prompt action in quelling the crisis, Ajibola, called on the police authority to effect the release of their members and other staff, who were wrongly arrested during protest.

“We are saying without iota of doubt that none of us was involved in the protest,” he added.



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