UNIOSUN: Flight Lieutenant who led invasion ordered his men to exterminate every living soul – Registrar

The Acting Registrar of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Mr Gafar Shittu, on Thursday said the Flight Lieutenant, who led the invasion of Air Force men into the campus of the institution in Ipetu Ijesa ordered his men to exterminate every living soul sighted in the school.

He said the Gestapo-like invasion of the institution was barbaric and unwarranted and should be investigated by the relevant government authorities.

Shittu, who said this in statement issued in Osogbo, hinted that “The invading airmen numbering over 100, who were dressed in military fatigues, forced their way into the campus in three armoured vehicles after beating-up the university security personnel stationed at the institution gate.”

According to him, “The Air Force men who were fully dressed for war carried automatic rifles and cutlasses, invaded our campus at about 12.30 p.m. The Flight Lieutenant who led the invasion gave instructions to his men to delete, exterminate and wipe-out every living soul seen on the campus as the airmen went after both staff and students and chased them into the surrounding bushes.

“The invasion caught the students who were receiving lectures unawares. At the end of the invasion many staff and students of the university were badly brutalised with different forms of injuries ranging from machete cuts, bruises, as well as gun butt bruises on their bodies. A number of the innocent young students also fainted while running into bushes.”

Shittu, who recalled that resuscitating the students that fainted took the efforts of the University Health Services staff, lamented that “the horrendous situation left the official work on the campus totally paralyzed as our staff had to scamper for safety while the students ran to seek refuge in the nearby bushes.”

While calling for the constitution of a commission of enquiry to investigate what he described as the unlawful invasion, he stated that “We wish to appeal to the Nigerian Air Force, and indeed, the Federal Government not to allow the perpetrators to go unpunished.”

Shittu added that Nigerians, particularly, the human rights community and concerned authorities should note that “the recent incident is another organized and deadly attack in the serial oppression of our staff and students by security agencies on our campuses. The one by the Police in in Osogbo in January, 2017 is still fresh in our memories.”