#OAUlivesmatter: Students, alumni react to police criticism of accomodation policy
Peter Oyebanji
Students and Alumni of Obafemi Awolowo University have reacted to the comments of the Divisional Police Officer, Moore, which criticized and blamed the school management for the insecurity.
Speaking with the action committee of the students' union, the DPO, Mr. Babatunde Sodimu made it known that they've written several proposals to the school management to build more hostels so as to ensure proper security of the students.
"Looking at the trend, from our quarters here we've written several proposals to the university authority to build more hostels on campus to ensure the security of students."
"Because from the statistics we have. There are over 33,000 students with only 9,000 students living inside campus while the remaining 25,000 students are scattered all over different axis in Ile-ife."
"Even if the whole police force in Ile-Ife is deployed, the number isn't enough to guarantee the security of 25,000 students, especially considering the fact that students are dispersed all over the locations in Ile-ife. Some would be in Opa, some would be in Modakeke, and this makes it difficult."
"We have told the university authority that it is easier for us to secure a centralised people than people who are scattered all over."
Meanwhile, students and alumni of the university have reacted to the DPO's criticism. Some viewed it as the truth while others viewed it as ineptitude from the police force.
"Our security operatives are incompetent in discharging their duties.The blame is that the management fails to wake govt up to their duties in funding education appropriately.The government themselves are weak and couldn't rise to meet the needs of tertiary institution probably because they feel unconcerned," Solomon, an alumnus of the institution.
Desire, also an alumnus took the position that the man is saying the truth.
"That man just told you the truth. He is not telling you don't worry we will beef up security when he knows they don't have enough man power, he is not telling you he will do what he won't do. But you think he is incompetent since he has not made empty promises. We like lies and that's why our politicians tell us they would do in a day what they won't do in a decade."
Gbenga, a student said, "There's insecurity everywhere. Someone was killed in buka recently, Chukwusa Denis was killed on campu, Afrika was murdered on campus. Even presidents and Governors with full protection get assassinated. Nowhere is safe my brother."
Fadeelat, another student said "The question is should he shift the blame to the school management? If management takes the blame for the students' insecurity, what of the other residents of Ile-Ife? We all are aware of what's obtainable in Nigeria, but his shifting of the blame to the school management is what I disagree with."
Kazeem Olalekan Israel, a student stated that "It is very unfortunate to read the Ife Area Commander shifting responsibility and putting the blame on the University management as if the management is the one expected to provide security for the students that form part of the Ife community."
"The excuse given by the Police Commander is enough ground for him to be sacked because it's really myopic and unreasonable and he is expected to bury his head in shame that a robbery incidence occurred in his territory for 2 solid hours which resulted to the death of a student and no arrest was made."
"This shows how porous the security is not just in Ife but Nigeria as a whole and this is because, the Police workforce cannot circulate."
However, the management has not reacted to the DPO's comment publicly as at the time of writing this report.
Students and Alumni of Obafemi Awolowo University have reacted to the comments of the Divisional Police Officer, Moore, which criticized and blamed the school management for the insecurity.
Speaking with the action committee of the students' union, the DPO, Mr. Babatunde Sodimu made it known that they've written several proposals to the school management to build more hostels so as to ensure proper security of the students.
"Looking at the trend, from our quarters here we've written several proposals to the university authority to build more hostels on campus to ensure the security of students."
"Because from the statistics we have. There are over 33,000 students with only 9,000 students living inside campus while the remaining 25,000 students are scattered all over different axis in Ile-ife."
"Even if the whole police force in Ile-Ife is deployed, the number isn't enough to guarantee the security of 25,000 students, especially considering the fact that students are dispersed all over the locations in Ile-ife. Some would be in Opa, some would be in Modakeke, and this makes it difficult."
"We have told the university authority that it is easier for us to secure a centralised people than people who are scattered all over."
Meanwhile, students and alumni of the university have reacted to the DPO's criticism. Some viewed it as the truth while others viewed it as ineptitude from the police force.
"Our security operatives are incompetent in discharging their duties.The blame is that the management fails to wake govt up to their duties in funding education appropriately.The government themselves are weak and couldn't rise to meet the needs of tertiary institution probably because they feel unconcerned," Solomon, an alumnus of the institution.
Desire, also an alumnus took the position that the man is saying the truth.
"That man just told you the truth. He is not telling you don't worry we will beef up security when he knows they don't have enough man power, he is not telling you he will do what he won't do. But you think he is incompetent since he has not made empty promises. We like lies and that's why our politicians tell us they would do in a day what they won't do in a decade."
Gbenga, a student said, "There's insecurity everywhere. Someone was killed in buka recently, Chukwusa Denis was killed on campu, Afrika was murdered on campus. Even presidents and Governors with full protection get assassinated. Nowhere is safe my brother."
Fadeelat, another student said "The question is should he shift the blame to the school management? If management takes the blame for the students' insecurity, what of the other residents of Ile-Ife? We all are aware of what's obtainable in Nigeria, but his shifting of the blame to the school management is what I disagree with."
Kazeem Olalekan Israel, a student stated that "It is very unfortunate to read the Ife Area Commander shifting responsibility and putting the blame on the University management as if the management is the one expected to provide security for the students that form part of the Ife community."
"The excuse given by the Police Commander is enough ground for him to be sacked because it's really myopic and unreasonable and he is expected to bury his head in shame that a robbery incidence occurred in his territory for 2 solid hours which resulted to the death of a student and no arrest was made."
"This shows how porous the security is not just in Ife but Nigeria as a whole and this is because, the Police workforce cannot circulate."
However, the management has not reacted to the DPO's comment publicly as at the time of writing this report.
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