In a tense escalation, enraged students from Kwara State University, Malete, launched an assault on the local police station following alleged confrontations during Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operations near the campus.
The upheaval unfolded on Thursday, Feb. 22, as students claim to have faced gunfire during NDLEA raids in the vicinity.
Reacting to the incident on Friday, Feb. 23, the state police command, represented by spokesperson DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, reported that student gatherings, fueled by frustrations over recent NDLEA actions, escalated into a tumultuous march towards Okoru Junction near Malete Police Division.
Clutching placards with defiant slogans like ‘Say No to NDLEA,’ students vented their discontent.
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Despite attempts at dialogue to restore calm, a misunderstanding ensued when students encountered a white Toyota Hilux vehicle, occupied by armed officers from Ila-orangun on official duty.
Mistaking them for NDLEA personnel, the students pursued them to the Malete Divisional Police Headquarters, pelting stones at the station.
The chaotic scene resulted in damage to the station’s roof and vehicles parked within. To quell the unrest, police officers deployed tear gas, dispersing the crowd and preventing further destruction.
Amidst the chaos, Police Officer PC Fayemi Kehinde sustained minor injuries from the barrage of stones, receiving immediate medical attention and subsequent discharge from the hospital.
