LASU killings: 34 arrested students face extra year

Damoche

No fewer than 34 students of the Lagos State University have missed the first two days of the first semester examinations which begun on Monday.

The students were detentained by the police following the killings of two students of the institution. They were released on Tuesday evening.

PUNCH Metro lernt that the students would automatically carry over the courses missed in the two days.

A source at the university said the development could also lead to some of them having extra year because some of the courses were prerequisite to other courses.

PUNCH Metro had reported on March 5, 2013 that over 70 students were arrested in connection with the killings of two students of the school, Hip Hop artiste, Damilola Olaniyan aka Damino Damoche; and Kabiru Atoyebi.

It was learnt that after the suspects were screened at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, about 36 students were released while others remained in custody.

The Students Union Government of the institution had appealed to the school authorities to ensure the suspected students were allowed to participate in the examination, while their interrogation continued.

According a source in the school, who pleaded anonymity, the SUG feels that the students do not deserve to be treated like criminals since they had not been found guilty.

He said, “The students were indiscriminately arrested in their hostels by policemen and abandoned in the cell, since March 3, 2013. Even now, they would not be able to sit for examination today (Wednesday) because they have not obtained exams clearance.”

But the SUG’s Public Relations, Adeleke Stephen, said, “This is a clear example of the effect of cultism. For the good of all, I advise all students on campus to avoid engaging in cultism and all acts that may lead to disorderliness.”

All efforts to speak with the spokesperson for the institution, Sola Fosudo, proved abortive as all calls made to his telephone rang out.

The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. John Obafunwa, when contacted, directed our correspondent to his deputy.

However, a senior official of the school, who craved anonymity, said it was not LASU’s fault that the students missed “few days” of examination.

He added that the school would not make any concession for them.

He said, “The students were arrested on suspicion of murder and cultism and murder is a capital offence.

“A few students cannot hold the entire school to ransom and I’m sorry but no concession will be given to the affected students.”

Meanwhile, the state police commissioner, Umar Manko, said students in all tertiary institutions across the state must shun cultism or be ready for war with the police command.

Manko urged students of LASU to go about their school activities, assuring them of police protection.

The CP said investigation into the killings at LASU was still ongoing.