The protest embarked upon by students of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, turned violent on Tuesday evening leaving in its trails two deaths, vandalisation of properties and a narrow escape by the Ekiti State First Lady.
The wife of the Governor of Ekiti State, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, who was on tour of council areas in the state, escaped being attacked by the protesters as they smashed the screens of all the vehicles in her convoy.
Sources at Oye Ekiti alleged that no fewer than two persons were feared killed in the course of the protest.
The students had got hint of the presence of the governor’s wife, as she was said to have been to two other council areas earlier.
Sources said the governor’s wife was “whisked away from the scene in a commando-like manner,” while others in her convoy scampered to safety.
However, some people, including journalists in the First Lady’s convoy, were injured in the attack.
The protesters, armed with sticks and stones, attacked unsuspecting commuters.
When the convoy of the governor’s wife arrived, they hurled stones at the vehicles.
Sources alleged that the protesters, which comprised students, hoodlums and commercial bike operators, torched a Police van and reportedly seized two rifles from policemen.
According to sources, hoodlums and commercial bike operators had joined the students in the protest over poor power situation in the two campuses of the university and the host communities.
Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, who confirmed the attack on the governor’s wife, debunked reports that two persons were killed in the protest.
Ikechukwu said, “Nobody was killed. There was no loss of life.
“The students protested in the morning and blocked the Ifaki-Ikole-Omuo highway and prevented free flow of vehicles.
“The students did not allow vehicles to move freely and they vandalised the property of BEDC.
“When Police went there to speak with them, they resisted them. And the wife of the governor who went on local government tour ran into the barricade mounted on the road.
“The students were reported to have been violent, attacking cars and smashing the windscreens of vehicles.
