There was pandemonium at the Moor Plantation, Odo-Ona, Apata area of Ibadan as aggrieved students of the Federal College of Agriculture engaged the police in a bloody clash, leaving two people shot and several others injured.
Many motorists who plied the Ibadan-Abeokuta federal highway were stranded as the protesting students blocked the highway.
The police, who at first were firing teargas at the students to disperse them, resulted into the use of live bullets which injured several innocent people.
Two staff of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) sustained bullet shots, and were currently hospitalised at the University College Hospital (UCH) .
Though no death was recorded in the violent crisis, two people shot by the police were said to be on danger list.
The Oyo state Police Command spokesperson, ASP Adekunle Ajisebutu also confirmed that there was no death during the bloody clash when contacted yesterday.
Two major gates leading into the College have been locked, while an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) belonging to the state police command and two pickup vans were stationed at the main entrance.
About 10 armed policemen were also seen at the gate.
Efforts to speak with embattled Provost of the College was unsuccessful as he was not visible but a source closed to the Provost who would not want his name in print said the issue is beyond the provost as the Federal government had waded into the crisis.
He said, “It has developed to this level. The only thing that I know is that I was told that the students were tired of staying at home. And they are tired of coming to the college doing nothing. Therefore they have to protest”.
The angry students of the Federal College of Agriculture were protesting against what they described as poor administration of the Provost of the College, Dr. Babajide Akanmu Adelegan .
Many of the students who were chanting songs carried placards with various inscriptions such as ” the provost must go” we are tired of staying at home ” this is the fourth year no matriculation” and so on.
Trouble started on Monday when students of Federal College of Agriculture that shared the same premises with IART&T and Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology were protesting within the premises against the leadership of the Provost of the institution, Dr. Adelekan.
The students noted that they were tired of protracted strikes by workers of the institution and various crises that have been rocking the Adelekan’s administration.
A commercial motorcyclist who plied the popular Mokola-Dugbe-Apata Road while speaking with on condition of anonymity informed that students of the institution were protesting peacefully and blocked the Apata-Dugbe Road when the police came to disperse them.
He noted that the melee started when the policemen arrived and started chasing the protesters after the students rejected the police invasion which made the police to re-enforced and chased students, staff of the three institutions and other people on sight.
It was gathered that the two staff of IAR&T including Mrs Helen Adekanmi and another male staff shot during the fracas have are currently receiving treatments at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
An industrial training (IT) student, a male staff, Mr. Lanre Johnson and ten other staff whose names are still being collated as at the time of filling this report sustained various degrees of injuries on their heads, legs, toes and arms.
Five cars belonging to staff of IAR&T were damaged during the melee that lasted for over two hours.
Items such as broken bottles, stones and stick and burned tyres still litter the scene of the clash.
Worried by the sad development, the Executive Director of IAR&T, Professor James Adediran who quickly cut off his journey to Abuja described the incident as unfortunate.
He noted that it was unfortunate that policemen could not differentiate between staff of the institute and students and staff of the College of Agriculture who were protesting.
Adediran noted that his staff were about to resume for work when the policemen came to invade the premises without spearing anyone.
He said that he had to quickly return from his journey to Abuja when staff of the institution called him about the situation on ground.
Adediran said “This morning, our staff came to their places of work and unfortunately the gates were locked, they had to look for ways to enter into the premises, and unfortunately we lean that students were on rampage shouting and demonstrating on the main road, so it was difficult to enter.
“And personally, I was not around, I was on my way to Abuja and I had to return back after Ilesa, I was already traveling, I had to return on my way. When I came back I was told that the police enter the premises and started shooting and to be sincere I want to say that two of our staff were shot, they were being attacked.
“What really happened is that there were stray bullets, the two of them, one on the head and the other one in the abdomen. The two of them are still in the hospital. They were rushed to the hospital and now receiving treatments.
“I was told that they are recovering well and will be visiting the hospital to know the state of their health status.
“This is IAR&T, there are three institutions in these premises, Federal College of Agriculture, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology and the IAR&T.
