The management of Federal Polytechnic Ede in Osun State has expelled 27 students and suspended eight others following a violent protest on the campus. The protest erupted after a night raid by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Owode, a nearby community, which led to the arrest of several students.
The protest, which took place on Thursday, May 9, 2024, saw angry students storming the campus, resulting in significant damage to property. The Staff Club of the polytechnic was notably attacked, and several vehicles were damaged during the chaos.
Mr. Sola Lawal, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, stated that the management took immediate steps to investigate the incident. “The management would investigate and unravel the remote and immediate cause of the incident,” Lawal had said following the protest.
The outcome of the investigation was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday in Osogbo. Lawal revealed that, in addition to the expulsion of 27 students, two former student union leaders were barred from entering the campus, and eight students were suspended for two academic sessions.
“Gentlemen of the press, you would recall that the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede Osun State constituted an investigation committee to unravel the miseries surrounding the Student’s crisis/rampage of Thursday, May 9th, 2024 leading to the stoning of people at the senior staff club,” Lawal’s statement read.
The statement highlighted that the actions of the students were contrary to the institution’s values of “knowledge, skill, and character.” Lawal noted that the investigation was thorough and comprehensive, leading to the following decisions: 27 students from HND 1 and 2 were expelled, eight HND 2 students were suspended for two academic sessions, and two former student union leaders were banned from campus.
