(SRLN) has accused the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of
covering up the policemen in his wife’s entourage, who shot two
students of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Oluwaseyi
Kehinde and Joseph Okonofua dead and injured many others on Tuesday.
According to a statement on Friday, by its Co-coordinator, Dr. Chima
Ubeku, the SRLN said it was strange that Dr. Fayemi, who rose to
political prominence, using the ladder of human rights and
pro-democracy activism has remained silent, carrying on as if nothing
happened, four days after two students were killed by policemen in the
entourage of his wife.
The SRLN, which described killing of the students and the shooting
spree embarked on by the policemen as barbaric, brutish and
animalistic, said there was no how the governor’s wife, Mrs Bisi
Fayemi, who was on tour of local councils in Ekiti State when the
killings happened, can be exonerated because the policemen went
overzealous while purportedly protecting her.
The group said it was even more unspeakable that up till today,
students of FUOYE are the ones still being harassed and arrested by
the police, with the National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the
Federation of Ekiti State Students’ Union (FESSU), Idris Salau,
arrested and detained by the police.
Also, instead of fishing out the policemen that killed the students
and went about firing shots indiscriminately at students in their
hostels, the government of Ekiti State has been promoting different
narratives aimed at turning the students of FUOYE, who only protested
to culprits.
Whereas, the students only protested against lack of electricity and
exorbitant billings by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company
(BEDC) and saw the presence of Governor Fayemi’s wife in Oye Ekiti as
an opportunity to table their grievances before her so that the State
government can assist them.
It berated the Ekiti State Police Command for acting irresponsibly,
claiming on Tuesday that “no student was killed” and going ahead to
defend its men, despite video evidence showing them shooting
indiscriminately at harmless students even in their hostels.
The SRLN called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct thorough and
independent investigation into the sad incident, demanding that
senseless killing by security agents must stop in the country.