Conflict is simmering between students of the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, and indigenes of Ayeka and Igodan over increasing cases of armed robbery and rape. 

Students living in the communities told FIJ that many of their residences have been burgled, with perpetrators raping and inflicting bodily harm on them.  

Accusing fingers are being pointed at indigenes of Ayeka and Igodan communities, where a large number of off-campus students live, the students saying the indigenes know the perpetrators but protect them.

“Two armed robbers entered our building when my neighbour, who is also a student, and I went to watch football one night,” said a student who was stabbed close to the heart at Igodan on May 23.

“They entered through the ceiling and dispossessed me of three phones and one of them removed my slippers and began wearing it on the spot.”

After the injured student escaped and discovered that he had been stabbed, he collapsed. He was referred to the Trauma Centre at Akure after 10 hours of treatment at the General Hospital, Okitipupa. He spent over N200,000 on medical bills.

He told FIJ that the perpetrators spoke Delta Pidgin, noting that the community shares boundary with Delta State, which indigenes often visit.

“The insecurity has always been there but it worsened this year. I live far away from the school but I am scared,” said a student who has not been attacked but said he knew at least 10 people who had been attacked by armed robbers.

“They have apprehended three thieves in the last two weeks who are indigenes. In fact, as I talk to you, they apprehended a thief this morning.”

A female student told FIJ that two months ago, hood-wearing armed robbers cut the burglar proof in the dining room of the four-bedroom apartment where she lived with three other girls. One of the girls was cut on the hand with a knife. Four phones, one laptop, hand bags and monies were stolen.

“No one could come to our aid that night. Even the next day, we heard that the building was robbed and some girls were raped. We had to vacate the building in order to not be victims of rape,” she said.

The student said that if it were not indigenes, her ATM card and library cards would not be dropped by the thieves. 

Some indigenes were alleged to have said that students found walking in the community from 9pm would be killed after some alleged thieves reported to be indigenes were caught, with one beaten so badly that he died before he arrived at the hospital. 

VC’s RESPONSE: GO ON BREAK, BRING EVIDENCE OF RAPE

On Friday, angry students, aware that the OAUSTECH governing council members were around, protested against the continued insecurity and the Vice Chancellor, Sunday Ogunduyile’s, poor response to their complaints during another protest held a week before.

Students told FIJ that the Dean of Student Affairs and the Chief Security Officer have not shown concern for the safety of students and the wellbeing of those wounded by burglars and that Ogunduyile’s response to reports of rape and armed robbery was for the students to present evidence.

It was gathered that one of the rape victims attempted to commit suicide last week.

Although students demanded that the matter should be resolved in two weeks, the school’s management ordered students to go on two weeks break, a situation many students are not happy with. 

“The directive does not make sense. We complained that our rooms are burgled even when we are around, what would happen if we left our things and went home?” a student asked.

Students complained to FIJ about the lack of police presence in the communities and that students who attend lectures during the day stay up at nights to watch their property. A completed but yet-to-be-commissioned building beside the university meant to be a police station was razed by persons suspected to be indigenes of the communities.

Ten years after the university’s establishment, buildings meant to provide accommodation to thousands of students are uncompleted and abandoned. They are projectes funded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

“We want hostels to be built within the school and vigilantes to keep watch over those living off-campus. A crisis between indigenes and students would break out if nothing is done about crime and students continue to resort to self-help,” a senior level student said.

The traditional ruler of Igodan, High Chief Ayeobasan Zaccheus, said the identities of the thieves were not known and that the community was generally not secure. He also denied that students were threatened.

“We have been taking steps to provide security; we have repaired the destroyed building meant to be a police station,” the Lisa of Igodan told FIJ. “We are awaiting the deployment of officers to the facility and planning to get vigilante.”

His Highness Babatunde Ayeyiowa, the traditional leader of Ayeka, insisted the indigenes of the community were not the perpetrators of the robbery, instead saying the thieves got help from students.

“I am not convinced that those carrying out the crime are from my domain because no one has been apprehended,” Ayeyiowa said.

Like Igodan, Ayeka, a community said to be five times larger than the latter, has no operational police station.  

The school, in a statement signed by the Registrar and sent to FIJ by the Vice Chancellor, claimed that “unconfirmed instances of rape” were being investigated. While a security summit was being planned, the university said that some student leaders were manipulating the crisis.

“The University Management also has it on good authority that the recent crisis was being escalated to force Management to stop the investigation of some union  leaders involved in one form of ‘misconduct’ or the other and had been facing investigation panels,” it said. 

Tee Leo Ikoro, the Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, said communities that need police stations should write to request for it.

“The university seems unconcerned about the plight of the students. I am sure that these criminal activities would have stopped if lecturers and top school officials were affected,” one student said.

“It is so bad that if you come to any of those two communities and sleep overnight, I assure you that you would be robbed before morning.”