Pandemonium rented the atmosphere in Ede, Osun State on Tuesday when students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede and officials of the Nigerian police clashed, leading to sporadic gunshots in the area.
It was gathered that following persistent unrest in the community for days, a team of policemen raided a criminal hideout at Ogberin area.
During the operation, a student of the Office of Technology Management, Ede Poly, Hassan Ayobami, took photographs and videos of the operatives using his phone.
When the operatives discovered that Ayobami was making a video they attempted to arrest him, but he fled the scene and ran into the campus premises.
An eyewitness, who gave his name as Temitope, said: “The police chased the student inside the school and arrested him. The incident led to the crisis as the leadership of the Student Union Government faulted the school security for allowing police to apprehend him.
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“Residents joined the students in protesting against the arrest of one of them. They were shouting at them and attempted to attack the police at Timi’s Market. There were intense gunshots at the market which forced traders to run for safety. The police took the student to A Division Police Station, Pere area before he was later released.”
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr Sola Lawal confirmed the incident.
He said: “An OTM student, Hassan was recording policemen during an operation and he was arrested but later released on the instruction of Commissioner of Police. The boy is back in the classroom.”
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident.
“Our men went to arrest some suspects but students turned it around to be police versus students,” he said. (Adapted from The Nation report)
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