FUTA students protest extortion, harassment by miscreants

Human and vehicular movement were interrupted early Monday morning by the Students of Federal University of Technology, Akure over daily attacks on them by some miscreants in the city.

The protesting Students blocked Akure-Ilesha Expressway, thereby creating traffic jam in the area for several hours.

They alleged that the thugs incessantly harassed those who live at off-campus at the South Gate Area, around the institution, especially the fresh students. They also alleged that the miscreants, on many occasions would harass and chase them into the school premises, without restraint from the security agents.

One of the protesters, who identified himself as Bola said the alleged harassment had been on for a long time and it was currently becoming a daily occurrence.

He said, “Some of these boys are thugs and cultists and they have been harassing for a long time, they forcefully collect money from students living at the South Gate area. So many times they would force students to make bank transfer.  We want government to look into this.

The students said the protest became imperative in order to make their grievances known to the general public

Efforts made by security agencies to wade into the matter proved abortive as the students bluntly refused the intervention of Nigeria police.

A Former President of the institution Students’ Union government, Abram Ezebede said, students were being terrorised by suspected hoodlums

While reacting to the development, the Head of Media and Protocols Unit of the university, Mr Adebanjo Adegbenro, said the students embarked on sensitisation march against actions of some persons living close to the South Gate who had been bullying some of the young students, saying there was no protest.