The alleged murder of a final year student of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State has brought sadness to the students and local community.
The student simply identified as Temitayo Ayodeji was stabbed to death by an indigene of the university community on Thursday evening following a dispute over N1,000 between him and the suspects.
Here is what we know
The deceased was a student of physics electronics who was awaiting his project defense.
He was said to have been stabbed with scissors around a filling station off campus, opposite Akua junction. Though he was rushed to a nearby hospital following the incident, Temitayo gave up the ghost.
According to reports, the deceased was stabbed over the debt of N1000 he promised to pay on behalf of someone.
A report from Myschool News said the total debt was N4000 out of which the deceased paid N3000. When he could not pay the N1000 balance, an argument ensured between him and the perpetrators resulting in his death.
The assailants are still on the run.
Reacting to the news, an alumni of the institution, Ayodele Oyedokun said many students of the school were often harassed by so-called indigenes identified as “omo onilu”.
According to Ayodele, these youths often position themselves at many of the shops students patronise to extort money from students using every possible means.
“There are cases of harassment from these guys to students that I personally witnessed. I still belong to some AAUA groups on WhatsApp and I recently saw some complaints from students about this harassment issue. It keeps happening without anyone being used as a scapegoat to learn from”, he said.
Together with other netizens, Ayodele said the assailants must be caught and made to full wrath of the law.
Meanwhile, the President of AAUA student union government, Ogunsanmi Kolade has confirmed the incident in a statement.
Kolade said the case has been reported at the police station and a request to catch the assailants on the hoot has been made.
“Information at our disposal, given by some eyewitnesses, reports that Temitayo Ayodeji was stabbed to death in his hostel (off campus) by some indigenes who are already on the run.
“However, the case has (sic) reported at Akungba Police. Our position remains that the security services should launch a manhunt immediately to apprehend the perpetrator, and we shall NOT rest until justice is served. We call on all students to remain calm and follow the directives of the Students’ Union,” the statement read.
While confirming the incident, Ondo State Police Command through its spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami Omisanya said a house belonging to the mother of one of the suspected killers had been burnt by angry protesters.
“An indigene had an issue with a student and one thing led to the other, and he stabbed the student which resulted in the student’s death. Students took to the street to protest, and the corpse was taken to the morgue by police, while on it some people mobilize to the suspect’s mother’s house to set it ablaze, police and the people are there to put off the fire,” she noted.
