Ibadan Poly students/police clash: 9 students arrested

Nine students of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, were, on Saturday, arrested following the invasion of the headquarters of the state police command in Eleyele, Ibadan, on Friday afternoon.

Sunday Tribune was informed that the students’ action was as a result of an alleged arrest of a student of the institution in Apete area of Ibadan.

It was learnt that the student’s union president of the institution, Oluwadamilola Peter Edema, allegedly mobilised other students to invade the police headquarters under the pretext of going to observe Jumat prayer at the command’s mosque.

The students were said to have moved to the Commissioner of Police’s office, singing solidarity songs, and in the process, reportedly injured one policeman.

Sunday Tribune gathered that the police had, in reaction, arrested some of the students, including the SUG president, Edema.

Speaking with journalists on the incident that led to the arrest of the students, the president of the students’ Representative Council, Olawale Michael, said the problem started “with the arrest of one of the students of the institution living off campus.”

But the Registrar of the Polytechnic, Mr Ajayi Fehintola, said the situation was under control, adding that the police maturely, a situation he said allowed peace to reign.

The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, SP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the students “really abused the patience of the police,” adding, however, that the situation “is under control, as officials of the institution and the police are now resolving the issue.”

A peace meeting between the police and the management of the institution was said to have been held at the weekend, where the issue was resolved.