Academic activities at the University of
Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, were paralysed on Wednesday as students of the
institution protested against the death of a female undergraduate who
was electrocuted on Tuesday.
learnt that the
student, Oluchi Anekwe, a 300-Level first-class student of the
Department of Accounting, was returning from an evening mass with her
younger sister at about 7pm on Tuesday when a high-tension wire fell on
her.
It was gathered that Anekwe had entered
the New Halls through the Eni Njoku Hostel side to buy an item. She was
said to be walking out of the hostel when the wire fell on her.
Anekwe was reportedly rushed to the medical centre, where she was said to have died a few minutes later.
It was gathered that angry students, who
heard of the lady’s death on Wednesday took to the university’s gates
around 8am, shut the gates in the school, calling on the Vice-Chancellor
to address them.
When our correspondent got to the
campus, vehicular movements in and out of the institution were
obstructed, while policemen from Sabo and Bariga divisions tried in vain
to calm down the protesting students.
While some of the students squeezed
themselves into commercial buses, wielding brooms and clubs, and driving
around the campus, others thronged the gates and chanted songs of
protest against the authorities for what they described as ‘the
negligence in upgrading the institution’s facilities’.
One of the students, identified only as Damilola, told PUNCH Metro that it was one of the three high-tension wires that fell on Anekwe.
She said, “The girl was returning from
the evening mass. But some people said it was from the library. It was
at about 7pm. She was with her younger sister. Suddenly, there was a
spark from one of the wires. The wire cut and fell on Oluchi (Anekwe).
“She got electrocuted immediately. Her
sister raised the alarm and students rushed her to the medical centre.
Some minutes later, she was pronounced dead.”
Another student, Johnson, said she died before the medical personnel could attend to her.
“While the medical personnel were
requesting her Identity Card, she died. Her younger sister stood there
helpless,” Johnson added.
The Students’ Union President, Abiodun
Martins, said it was time for the authorities to take concrete actions
on the state of facilities to prevent avoidable deaths on the campus.
He said, “Oluchi, till her death, was a
first-class student. While we condole with her family and friends, we
say the event that led to her death is avoidable. We therefore call on
concerned authorities to prevent a recurrence.
“We declare that academic activities are hereby suspended for today in honour of the departed soul.”
The VC, Prof. Rahamon Bello, later drove
in with the university security officials to address the students in
front of the student union building.
The VC, while appealing to the students
not to aggravate the situation, promised that enquiries would be made
into the matter by the university authorities, the police, and the
electricity distribution company.
He said, “To the entire students of our
institution, what happened was an accident. The wire that fell does not
belong to the university. It serves the Onike area. We have communicated
the electricity distribution company on the need to have their cables
underground. All UNILAG cables are under the ground.
“But there will be full enquiries into this, as the police and the state government will be involved.
“Let us not aggravate the issue as we do
not want to lose any other life. Today has been declared as a day of
mourning, and no lecture will be holding.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, said the police had put the situation under control.
It was gathered that the management of the university visited the Anekwes on Wednesday evening at their Okota, Lagos home.
The delegation, which was led by the
Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Tunde Babawale, was said to have
conveyed the institution’s condolence to the family, promising that
inquiries would be made on the cause of the death.
The father confirmed the visit of the
UNILAG delegate on the telephone, adding that the family was still
trying to come to terms with the tragedy.
Meanwhile, friends and relatives of the deceased have flooded her Facebook account, Oluchi Anekwe, to react to her death.
One of them, Ojidoh Lucious, said,
“Nigeria is a nation where nothing is done to standard. A university
does not have running water and a steady supply of electricity. The
management just killed an innocent lady due to its poor standard.
Oluchi, you will be missed.”
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