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The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has closed down the institution until further notice.
A statement by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, said the decision follows the continuous and uncontrolled protests by the students culminating in unbridled brigandage, blocking the Ife-Ibadan and Ife-Ede highways and other adjoining roads that could be used as alternative routes, and engaging in other acts that are detrimental to their health and the safety of the generality of the people.
The students had on Friday embarked on a series of protests over the death of a final year student of department of foreign languages, Aishat Adesina.
The students accused the institution’s health centre of negligence in handling the case of Adesina, which they said led to her death.
However, the management said it understands the grief resulting from Adesina’s untimely death within the community and sympathises with the parents, friends, colleagues and the entire students over the sad loss, and prays for the repose of her soul.
According to the management, after having exhausted all necessary avenues to call the students to order and allow normalcy to return to the campus and its environs without any success, it does not have any other choice than to close down the instutution until further notice.
“This is to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
“In view of this, all students are hereby directed to vacate their halls of residence and the Campus latest by 12pm on Saturday, 2nd October, 2021.
“Consequently, the swearing-in of the newly elected Students’ Union officials has been put on hold, pending a review of the situation.
“In the meantime, the University management has put in place the machinery to unravel the circumstances surrounding the immediate and remote cause(s) of the crisis,” the statement added.