FUTA Bullies: Expelled Students have Gone into Hiding – Police

Ololade Adeyanju/

The Ondo State Police Command has disclosed that the six students of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) who reportedly assaulted a female mate have gone into hiding in order to evade arrest.

Spokesman of the command, Mr. Femi Joseph, disclosed this to NewsmakersNG on telephone today.

Joseph however reiterated the determination of the command towards ensuring that the fleeing students are arrested and prosecuted for their alleged offence.

He said detectives are on their trail and promised that they would eventually be fished out.

“The concerned students are on the run. They have gone into hiding since the incident happened. But the Commissioner of Police has directed that the incident be investigated and the culprits brought to justice.

“We have already obtained the statement of the victim. And without prejudice to whatever punishment the university had meted out to them, the police have a duty to arrest, investigate and prosecute any one found culpable.

“The offence they were alleged to have committed is criminal. Detectives are on their trail and I can assure you that they will be fished out,” Joseph said.

The university authorities had earlier announced the expulsion of the six students.

The expulsion was contained in a statement by the deputy director of corporate communications of the institution, Adegbenro Adebanjo.

Adegbenro said the expulsion followed the recommendation of an investigative panel which probed the incident that took place in an off-campus hostel on November 16.

Adebanjo gave the identities of the students as : Popoola Olaniyi Agboola IDD/ (300L), Oluwadare Faith Tobiloba FST (200L), Nandi Yohanna Jessica IPE/ (200L), Ajuwon Tolani Emmanuella FAT/ (100L), Emmanuel Funmilayo Taiwo FAT/ (100L) and Alao Olabimpe Cecilia CSP/ (100L).

He explained that expulsion is in line with the position of Page 48 of the 2019/2020 Students Handbook which prescribes expulsion from the University for Students who engage in, “physical assault or battery on another student outside the university premises”.

Video clips of five students – one male, four females – beating up a female 100 level student, identified simply as Bolu, in her room went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation.

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