In apparent reaction to the fracas which broke out in the university town of Malete yesterday and the unsettling video of the incident which surfaced online in the evening, the Kwara State Police Command Friday, issued a statement describing the situation as the handiwork of some unruly students who were protesting the arrest of some of them.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigeria Police Force according to several reports conducted raids and arrested several students of Kwara State University, Malete
In some videos seen on Thursday, the students were seen running for safety while gunshots were heard in the background.
IA statement however issued on Friday, February 23, 2024, by DSP Ajire Adeyemi-Toun, the spokesperson for the police command, disclosed that the students encountered a white Toyota Hilux vehicle with registration number Lagos AGL 574 HZ, occupied by four armed policemen from Ila-orangun and were mistaken for operatives of Drug Law Enforcement Agents
The statement read; “The attention of Kwara State Police Command has been drawn to a video circulating on the social media space. The Commissioner of Police, CP VICTOR OLAIYA (psc+) seeks to address the recent gatherings by students of Kwara State University (KWASU) yesterday, February 22, 2024.
“Reports indicate that the gatherings, which began at about 1600hrs, centred around grievances related to the recent raids on Black-spots around the schools premises by operatives of NDLEA. Students living off Campus,expressed their dissent, marched from various parts of the town to Okoru Junction close to Malete Police Division, carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Say No to NDLEA”.
The command’s spokesperson said efforts were made to engage with the students persuading them to return to their respective hostels and maintain peace. In the process, they encountered a white Toyota Hilux vehicle with registration number Lagos AGL 574 HZ, occupied by four armed policemen from Ila-orangun led by Inspr Ibrahim Ali and three others on an official assignment to Malete.
“They were mistaken for operatives of Drug Law Enforcement Agents. Consequently, the students chased them to Malete Divisional Police Headquarters, where the Students began to throw Stones into the Police Station.
“Regrettably, this led to some damages to the rooftop of the mosque and wind screen of vehicles parked in the station. The Policemen fired tear gas cannisters to disperse the violent crowd to prevent further damage at the police station”. The statement said.
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