WASTED! How officer “blew FUNAAB student’s head with police bullet”
Taiwo is alive. We erroneously reported he died at the spot. We’re sorry. We’ve updated this story to reflect the latest info at our disposal.
All is not well in Ogun State as a peaceful protest has resulted in the violent shooting of a young Nigerian.
Abisoye Taiwo, a year one Forestry and Wildlife Management student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) was reportedly shot dead by a police officer.
“He was shot in the head,” a student who witnessed the killing told NewsroomNG on Thursday. “His head was practically blown away”.
Taiwo was shot while students were protesting the killing of another year one student whom the police allegedly failed to protect.
The peaceful protest led by some student leaders began around 5am. The students took to the street in the cold weather to protest the killing of a 100 level Banking and Finance mate after a group of armed men attacked a number of students resident off campus.
One of the hostels bandits attacked between Wednesday night and Thursday morning was Ajoke Hostel located opposite the university gate.
Another was at Isolu, a neighbouring community, where a female student was allegedly raped. The bandits reportedly went away with lots of gadgets and other valuables.
Angry students, Thursday morning, mounted road blocks along the road leading to the school denying colleagues, lecturers and other members of staff access.
After been addressed by a lecturer, the students marched down to Camp in Odeda local government area and blocked Abeokuta-Ibadan expressway.
So the police showed up and reportedly ended up shooting Taiwo in the head.
“The arrival of policemen from the state police command, Eleweran, Obantoko around 11am worsened the situation as the officers teargassed us,” a student told our correspondent.
“My asthmatic colleagues fainted after coming in contact with the gas.
“As if that was not enough, the policemen opened fire on us. They were spraying live bullets. One of the bullets hit Taiwo in the head killing him instantly. Let the whole world know that the police killed him.”
The student, and many others, thought Taiwo died instantly. They were wrong. So were we when we earlier reported it. Taiwo is being taken to UCH, Ibadan. Read the story here.
Before the protest turned violent, some police officers allegedly saved one of the armed robbers who attacked the students from jungle justice. The angry students were about beating him to death after learning their Banking and Finance mate had bled to death.
The students reportedly set a police station on fire after Taiwo was shot. They thought he died instantly.
“They took over a petrol station, got some fuel, went to the police station and set it on fire,” a source told our correspondent.
Students say they’re displeased with the University management’s “insensitivity” to rampant robbery attacks on their colleagues living outside campus.
In response to the protest, FUNAAB authorities have suspended academic activities for seven days. Students staying on campus have been instructed to go home.
The police are yet to respond to our queries about the conduct of their men during the protest..
