by noah ocheni, Lokoja
The joint security team of Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja, on Tuesday, arrested three (3) students of the institution and five (5) others suspected to be members of secret society and hard drug peddlers during exams.
“The apprehended students who are all of HND II in the Department of Business Administration include:
Ajayi Oluwaseun Oladipo (Matric No.2022/HND/BUS/275), Isenre Elijah Ayomide (Matric No.2022/HND/BUS/146) and Omonijo Sunday (Matric. No2022/HND/BUS/181).”
In a release signed by the Director, Public Relations and Protocol, Uredo Omale stated that the arrested five (5) non-students who are all from Ekiti State but based in Abuja are: Otitoju Christopher, Babatope Ayomide, Isaiah Babatunde, Shina Ayodeji and Makinde Olalekan.
The arrest of the suspects according to the release was as a result of proactive measures put in place by the Management of the institution to checkmate infiltration of cultists and other outlawed groups and individuals who were reported to be planning to enter the campus with guns and other dangerous weapons with yahoo boys.
To prevent the occurrence, “Management decided to intensify further security strategies by banning all forms of the end-of-the second semester examination celebration on the campus in whatever guise.”
The release further disclosed that the services of the security agencies such as the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), and the Vigilante Group were sought and their personnel were deployed.
“The Management got an intelligence report of the infiltration of some notorious old students of 2018/2019 sets who are suspected to be cultists alongside some imported mercenaries from Edo and Delta states that came that day to cause mayhem using the style of motorcade, spraying of naira notes while seating on their vehicles on the highway.”
It was gathered that there were gunshots from the direction of “Always Petrol station” adjacent the Polytechnic main gate where the imported mercenaries were allegedly camped since the campus was not comfortable for them because of the security measures put in place.
“It was the security arrangement and tip-off that led to the arrest of the three (3) students and their hired mercenaries who claimed to hail from Ekiti State, but based in Abuja.”
The suspects were said to have been intercepted at the main entrance of the Polytechnic gate while on their motorcade. The driver of the second car, however, jumped out of the vehicle and escaped.
“Some suspected hard drugs wrapped in a polythene bag, papers cut to sizes supposedly for wrapping of drugs and one beret cap with a symbol suspected to be that of a cult group were seen in the car and in possession of the occupants of the two (2) intercepted cars. ”
Items recovered from the apprehended suspects include two cars (2); a light green coloured Mercedes Benz Saloon with Reg. Number: EKITI STATE “MUE – 598 – AE” and a black coloured Toyota Lexus Saloon with Reg. Number from: EBONYI STATE “SKA – 78 – AE”,
Others are different types of drugs, remnant of some naira notes amounting to N14000 naira, beret cap with a symbol suspected to be that of a cult and an MP3 player were handed over to the Nigeria Police at the ‘B’ Division in Lokoja.
The Rector, however commended the efforts of the Examination Security Management Committee, the Joint Security team and the Intelligence Team for a job well-done through teamwork for nipping the dangerous intent in the bud.
