The Attacks On the Daniels.

(From The News (Nigeria) - AAGM)

Byline: Olusola Olaosebikan

Accusations buzz back and forth over the death of three students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro in the wake of vicious attacks against Governor Gbenga Daniel and his wife.

When news of the closure of her school got to her, Iyabo Ajayi,a part two Business Studies student, was anxious. And not wanting to be caught in a crossfire, she immediately packed her bags and left the campus, in company of her friends. Having trekked a little far, they decided to wait in front of a filling station for a vehicle to board home.

It was while waiting that a bullet hit her on the lower part of her right leg.

She told TheNEWS that she was waiting for a lecturer "who had promised to convey me and my colleagues home. Then I felt something on my leg. I thought it was teargas, so I began to run. I was running until I suddenly slumped. It was then I knew I had been shot." But Azeez Babatunde Sotayo, an ND 1 Student of Electrical/Electronics Engineering Department, was not that lucky to recount his ordeal. He had earlier visited a cyber cafe, along Tunde Ibikunle Road and was on his way back to the campus, when he was allegedly shot in the head. He collapsed and died on the spot. His corpse has since been deposited at the mortuary.

That day, Wednesday 20 October 2004, students of the institution were given up till 10 a.m. to vacate their campus. The order followed an attack a day earlier on the wife of the State Governor Olufunke Daniel, who was on an outing, in the capacity of her Foundation.