Policemen injured, 16 arrested as students protest in Ilorin

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Nigerian Police Friday, February 11th, 2011

A peaceful protest embarked upon by students of Kwara origin turned violent on Friday as an undisclosed number of policemen were injured and properties destroyed in the mayhem, which lasted for about two hours.

Sixteen suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident, which crippled commercial activities in the entire area.

The protesters, under the aegis of the National Association of Students of Kwara State, were apparently irked by the non-payment of their bursary allowance by the state government for the 2009/2010 session.

The students from various institutions in Nigeria and abroad had given the state government an ultimatum, which expired on Thursday.

They trooped out in their thousands and assembled at the Post Office area of the capital before marching through Murtala Muhammed Way to Challenge Bus Stop, disrupting traffic in the process.

Also, many cars were destroyed in the violence on Ahmadu Bello, the area where the Government House is located.

The students were said to have clashed with the security agencies when they attempted to force their way into the Kwara State Government House, a development that elicited stiff resistance from the police.

Reacting to the development, the state government said it was disappointed by the action of the students, describing it as shameful.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Ben Duntoye, who spoke with newsmen in Ilorin, noted that the government had already appropriated the bursary fund to be released next week.

Confirming the incident, the police spokesman in Kwara State, Mr. Ezekiel Dabo, said about 16 students had been arrested and would be charged to court immediately.

-Punchwp_posts