FUTA students protest killing of colleague by hit-and-run driver

Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, on Wednesday protested over the killing of a student of the institution by a hit and run driver.

The deceased who was identified as, Israel Anuoluwapo, a part-one student of Mathematics department in FUTA, was reportedly hit by a vehicle on the Akure/Ilesha expressway some few meters to the main entrance of the institution.

It was gathered that the driver of the vehicle failed to stop after hitting the young man and escaped from the scene of the incident.

The deceased was rushed to State Hospital Akure, where he was referred to Trauma Center in Ondo town, but died later due to the severity of his injuries.

Following the incident, the students organised a procession in front of the school gate, protesting over the incessant killing of students by some reckless drivers.

This protest, however, hindered the free flow of vehicles on the ever busy road for some hours before the authorities of the institution appealed to the protesting students.

Meanwhile, the authorities of the institution has appealed to the state government to help in the construction of speed breaker around the main entrance of the school community while it also called on the officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission, on the state, to intensify patrol on the route in order to prevent a recurrence of such incident.

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This was contained in the statement issued by the institution’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo, who described the incident as unfortunate

The statement read, “the Federal University of Technology Akure has received with shock the death of one of its students, Israel Anuoluwapo, a year one student of mathematics.

“He was knocked down by a reckless hit and run driver some 1000 metres from the gate of the University on the Ilesha-Akure Road on Tuesday, April 30.

“He was immediately rushed to the University Health Centre from where he was transferred to the State Hospital Akure due to the severity of his injuries. He was thereafter rushed to the Trauma centre Ondo where he died later that day.

“The University has notified and commiserated with the family of the student over the unfortunate incident and pray that God will give them the fortitude to bear the painful loss.”

He said further “On Wednesday, May 1 the Students Union held a procession to mourn their departed colleague.

“The peaceful procession terminated at the gate of the University and the Vice Chancellor and Dean of students Affairs addressed them.”