…Says 12 suspects in Police net over incident
By Adeyinka Adeniran
Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, yesterday, declared a three-day mourning as well as fast and prayers over the death of Akor Alex who was killed by his colleagues on Friday.
The deceased, a 22years old, 200-level Mechanical Engineering student was killed by his colleagues over an alleged phone theft.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Timothy Adebayo, declared the mourning period while addressing journalists on Monday at the Council Chamber of the school in company of other principal officers of the faith-based university.
Prof. Adeboyo said: “I sympathise with the family. We don’t pray for such to happen. We are sad over the development. The university has declared a three-day mourning starting from Wednesday to Friday, with fasting and prayer every night against a recurrence such as a sad incident. In those days, it is lecture-free to mourn the departed student”.
The Vice-Chancellor also disclosed that he wept for two days over the incident.
He said, “As a Vice Chancellor, I wept throughout Sunday and Monday. Even while conveying the message to the staff I wept. I didn’t know I would be able to address this press conference.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muyiwa Popoola, also confirmed the VC’s statement, saying: “We wept bitterly”.
Adebayo also disclosed that 12 persons are already in Police custody over the incident, saying “Twelve students are in the Police net over Ajayi Crowther Varsity’s student killing. 18 were initially apprehended. But, the Police screened them to 12, including a porter who were taken to Iyaganku Police Station, Ibadan”.
He also reiterated the university’s stance against cultism and bullying, saying: “We have learnt our lessons in a hard way. We have zero tolerance for bullying, and cultism.
“There is no cultism. We have worked in different schools, cultists need bushes to operate.
“There is no sign of cultism and bullying here. There are no bushes here. Cultists need bushes to operate. We always ask our students not to stay alone and in obscure places. We rusticated anyone involved in bullying”
The VC said security had been beefed up to guide against a recurrence of the incident.
“We have a monitoring team that moves around. We have a security team. The Management moves round to check that things are in order to ensure that students comply with the mechanism put in place.
“We will increase the number of security operatives and porters. We will keep on beefing up security in our hostels. We will work on every other aspect of observed inadequacies.
“Ajayi Crowther University is safe. We raise students with Godly characters. We are telling the parents now that their children are in safe hands here’’.
