The Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun State Joint Campus Committee, Adeyanju Francis, has called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to investigate the alleged shooting of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) students during a protest on Wednesday.
The incident, reportedly involving security operatives attached to Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele’s convoy, sparked outrage among students. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Adeyanju refuted claims by the Deputy Governor’s office, labeling their narrative as false and defamatory.
According to Adeyanju, the protesting students, marching peacefully to the Governor’s Office in Oke Mosan to air grievances over increased school fees and the dissolution of their Students’ Union Government, encountered the Deputy Governor’s convoy at Oke Ilewo.
“Contrary to the Deputy Governor’s office claim that the students attacked her convoy with cudgels and dangerous weapons, it was the security operatives in her convoy who opened fire on unarmed students. A NANS leader was grazed by a bullet while others ran for safety,” Adeyanju alleged.
The students demanded an apology and retraction of the alleged falsehood within 24 hours, warning that failure to comply would prompt a mass protest involving students from across Nigeria.
In contrast, the Deputy Governor’s office maintained that the students were violent, blocking her convoy and wielding weapons. Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, stated the Deputy Governor was on her way to a reception marking the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day when the students allegedly attacked her convoy.
NANS: The conflicting accounts have fueled calls for an independent investigation to ascertain the facts and ensure justice is served.