The academic activities were disrupted on the campus of the Joseph Ayo Babalola, Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State, on Monday as the students of the institution protested against the alleged non-challant attitude of the school authorities towards their security.

According to a source on the campus of the institution, the students in their hundreds trooped out of their hostels to show their displeasure over the incessant intrusion of the female hostels by some marauders. The act was allegedly perpetrated by some guards employed by the school management.

The source narrated that the protest, which was initially peaceful went violent when the Registrar of the university, Mr. Wale Aderibigbe was allegedly addressing the students in an abusive manner rather than calming them.

It was gathered that many property of the school property was vandalized during the violent protest.

One of the students who spoke on condition of anonymity said some men suspected to be local security men always invaded the female hostels to molest the female students.

He said, ” The students suspected that those responsible for the act are the security men, employed from a neighboring community, Owena. The stole the girls’ phones, food items, money and some other valuables belonging to the students.

“This has been happening occasionally before but it became a regular occurrence in the last three weeks. Yesterday they came again and nobody has ever been arrested. We lodged a complaint to the school management but they did nothing about it.”

Another female student, who identified herself simply as Ade, said the Registrar caused the protest to become violent while addressing the angry students, as he threatened to shut down the school if the students did not stop the protest.

She said, ” The registrar made the matter worse when he told the students that he would shut down the school, instead of appealing to them. He said none of them paid more than N500,000 per session. He even invited the police to arrest us on our campus for fighting for our right. All these infuriated the students and they became violent.”

All efforts to reach the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Theophilous Olowokure, and the registrar were unsuccessful as they were said to be unavailable for comment on the matter.

But a worker in the office of the registrar, who did not want his identity revealed because he was not permitted to speak, confirmed the incident and said the management was on top of the matter.

“As I am speaking with you, the management staff are already in the meeting to resolve the issue,” he stated.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer for Osun Police Command, Folasade Odoro, said the matter had not been reported to the command as at the time of filing this report.

She said, “We have not been informed. But as soon as I have any information as regards that, I will get back to you.”

PUNCH