Students set four houses ablaze over death of colleague, institution shut

By Tayo Afolabi

The Management of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijegun, Ogun state, has shut down the institution following a clash between some students living in the Imaweje community, around the school and residents.

The Registrar of the school, Dapo Oke, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday asking the students to go home till peace would be restored.

Oke in the statement, said, “Following the recent clash between students and members of the University Host Community in the early hours of today (Sunday), particularly, the Iwameje, community which led to the eruption of violence, the University management hereby announces the closing down of the University”.

“In the meantime, parents and guardians are hereby advised to recall their wards particularly those living in and around Iwameje back home immediately.

“Efforts are being made with law enforcement agents to restore peace and order in the community affected.”

Pandemonium broke out as students at the school set four houses, including that of the Baale of Imaweje, a host community of the institution ablaze to protest the death of one of them.

It was gathered that a 300-level student, whose identify could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report was reportedly killed by the community.

The deceased was said to have been accused by residents of the community of being a cultist and reportedly killed him.

The death of the student however sparked off the violence by other students, who rejected the jungle justice of the community.

A source who confided in our reporter said “I learnt the problem started last Friday.

He said, “A 300-level student who was a cultist, name unknown was identified and beaten to death by residents of a community known as Imaweje in Ijegun there.

When the students got the information, they took the guy to hospital, but was confirmed dead.

“This made the students especially his group to go on rampage to the extent of setting ablaze the building belonging to the ‘Baale’ of the community and other houses which served as students’ hostel.

“Presently, police and soldiers have been patrolling the environment to restore peace.”

Another source said “some cultists claimed that the community killed one of them and started going after the leaders of the community.

“They set ablaze Baale’s house and third-in-command. They have set ablaze four houses as we speak.”