Aggrieved students of the Ladoke Akinola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Oyo State, on Friday shut down activities at the institution following the death of a final-year student of the university, Asefon Nifemi Benard.
Nifemi, a final-year student of the Department of Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology died after falling into a septic tank at a private hostel.
According to the statement released by the University management signed by its registrar, Dr. Kayode Ogunleye, on Friday, confirmed the incident.
It appealed to the protesting students for calm, explaining that the student died off-campus on Thursday.
The statement read, “In sympathy with the student, friends, and family, the university management hereby declared today Friday, April 23, 2021, as lecture free-day, while any lectures or tests that might have been conducted earlier today will be declared null and void.
“Management further appeals to students not to take laws into their hands. Appropriate steps will be taken to further get the facts surrounding the death of the students.
“Once again, management commiserates with the students, family, and friends of the deceased.
‘’Meanwhile, the University management has taken steps to take care of the burial of the deceased and convey his corpse to the family. God will give the university the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
A student who pleaded anonymity told newsmen that the late Nifemi, after falling into a soakaway pit, allegedly gave up the ghost on Thursday evening as a result of little delay by the staff of the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital to attend to him.
He said the incident occurred at his hostel along 1500LT, the school area in Ogbomoso.
Another student, who witnessed the incident, said the deceased fell into the soak-away pit while attempting to switch on electric power.
He added that the shock from the electricity got him paralyzed as he fell into the pit.
He further explained that Nifemi was thereafter rushed to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital but could not get immediate medical attention, which was suspected to have led to his death.
The source said, “Medical personnel on duty said they have to get a call from the Dean of Students Affairs before attending to him. The deceased friends decided to take Nifemi to Bowen Teaching Hospital; he died before getting to the hospital.
“Nifemi’s death has made some aggrieved students shut down the university. They are protesting that their colleague could have been saved if the health institution had taken the case as an emergency and gave him the necessary treatment before asking for details.”