In a distressing turn of events, students of Gateway Polytechnic, Sapaade, experienced another attack just four days after the Ogun State Police Command claimed to have apprehended three armed robbers involved in a prior robbery and assault on students.
This recent incident resulted in the tragic loss of one student’s life, with nine others sustaining gunshot injuries. The attacks primarily targeted students residing at off-campus hotels in Ode, Ipara, and Isara, adjacent communities to Sapaade.
The assault comes on the heels of a protest by both students and locals against the initial robbery and rape incidents that shook the institution. Following the outcry, the management temporarily closed the polytechnic for three days to restore order. In response to the rising tension, Commissioner of Police Abiodun Alamutu engaged in discussions with student leaders.
Despite the police’s claim of having arrested three members of the armed gangs responsible for the earlier attacks, the suspected robbers returned in the early hours of Saturday to unleash another wave of terror on the troubled communities.
Videos circulating on Instagram depict the aftermath of the attack in the Larufi area of Ode, showing shattered doors, broken windows, and walls pierced by bullets. Two lecturers, speaking anonymously due to the frightening nature of the incident, described it as a “calculated operation.”
Efforts to obtain a response from Police spokesperson Omolola Odutola were unsuccessful at the time of press, and the institution’s Head of Public Relations, Adedayo Folorunsho, declined to comment on the recent attack, stating that “security agencies should be allowed to do their job.” The situation remains tense as the community grapples with the recurrent security challenges.
