Ogun students plan protest over colleague killed by hit-and-run driver 

A coalition of student bodies in Ogun State on Thursday threatened to protest over a 24-year-old student of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, Aiyepe Annexe, Pelumi David, said to have been killed by a hit-and-run driver on Monday.

The fleeing driver was said to have hit David and the motorcyclist, Hassan Ariyo, who was carrying her from the rear in front of the Ogun State Orientation Camp of the National Youth Service Corps, along Ikenne-Sagamu Road, killing both of them.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident to journalists.

She said the car lost control and collided with the motorcycle, causing both riders to fall and sustain fatal head injuries.

Odutola said “On Monday at about 2 pm a fatal hit-and-run accident took place in Sakura Division along the Sagamu-Ikenne Road.

“The incident involved a black Toyota Camry car and an unregistered Bajaj motorcycle, ridden by a 22-year-old Hassan Ariyo from Ikenne and his passenger, 24-year-old Pelumi Ade, a student at Sapade Gateway Polytechnic.

“ Their bodies were removed and taken to OOUTH Mortuary. The parents of the deceased, accompanied by the Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, have requested the bodies for burial.

“Efforts are underway to apprehend the fleeing driver, and a sketch map and photographs have been taken for reference.”

However, student bodies in the state have disclosed plans to protest the death of the student, alleging the connivance of the NYSC officials to shield the driver who is believed to have killed the student and the motorcyclist.

The students disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, jointly signed by chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS JCC/Ogun Axis, Adeyanju Oluwafemi;  National President, National Association of Ogun State Students, Thomas Kehinde, and President, Progressive Students Movement, Bestman Okereafor.

The student’s groups claimed that the suspected driver of the grey colour Toyota Camry had reportedly fled into the NYSC Orientation Camp after running over the victims.

They explained that the NYSC officials had denied that the suspected driver was hiding inside the camp, and this led to a heated argument between the students and some soldiers at the entrance of the camp.

The students disclosed that following the intervention of the chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Shittu, the Area Commander, Sagamu, and DPO Sakora division, the vehicle was brought out just washed with the towel used in washing the car also used in covering the vehicle number plate.

The security personnel were said to have compelled the NYSC officials, after which they produced the owner of the car, who was said to have identified himself as Ojo Aina.

The student bodies, while commending the swift response of the Nigerian Police and intelligence of the Sagamu Area commander, expressed displeasure that the vehicle and driver are yet to be in police custody.

They have equally demanded the replacement of the state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Olayinka Nasamu, for her alleged insensitivity and lack of empathy for the dead, saying that she has not acted in a way to protect the interests of young Nigerians

The student’s groups said, “The accident that claimed the life of our student and another youth was never a head-on collision as been claimed based on the injury sustained by the victims when their dead bodies were observed.

“We also demand the immediate replacement of Mrs. Olayinka Diana Nasamu, the inhumane State Coordinator, NYSC Ogun State, for lack of empathy and lackadaisical attitude towards the dead as a supposed mother.

“She was not only arrogant but also mannerless and pompous, yet she uttered words that were unheard of by a supposed mother.

“Nigerian Students will in our thousands be protesting at the NYSC State secretariat the death of our student by the driver who drove into the NYSC  premises and said to be an NYSC staff.

“We demand that the driver of the alleged vehicle and the vehicle be thoroughly investigated! The protest shall be affirmatively held on Monday, July 15.”

The students also appealed to Gateway ICT Polytechnic’s management to take full responsibility if the student’s funeral.

However, when contacted by our correspondent, the NYSC State Coordinator denied being involved in the incident.

Nasamu said she was surprised to hear of such unfounded allegations and baseless reports.

She said, “I am not aware of such an allegation. The allegations are unfounded. They should have gone to the right authority to get their facts right. I am surprised to hear of such an unfounded allegation.”