Following the violence that rocked the Federal Polytechnic Auchi in Edo State few days ago during the Student Union Government (SUG) election, a group, the Coalition of Civil Society Groups on Transparency in Governance led by Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), has clarified that no student died in the incident contrary to reports.
At a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince and Comrade Igwe Ude-umanta, Convener and Co-Convener pf the group, respectively, urged a section of the media to always verify their reports before going to press.
The text read in part, “few days ago, there was a disturbing trending video and subsequent media reports of violence during the Students’ Union Government (SUG) election in the Federal Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State. Some of the reports claimed that two students were killed and several others injured. We make bold to say that this is outright falsehood sponsored to discredit the institution and the country at large by people too desperate to verify from the school management or security agencies.
“To set the records straight and dispel the darkness of falsehood in the conduct of the SUG Election, the school internal security, Nigerian Police, Department of State Services, National Security and Civil Defence Corp and local vigilante were adequately mobilised to ensure adequate security and a hitch-free election.
“The security reports and report of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) who are officially accredited observers confirm that it was not a question of lack of security or management negligence, but clearly the work of fifth columnists who had concealed ulterior motives. The plan involved sneaking In members of the local community to disrupt the election when their preferred candidate was clearly losing. These mercenaries only had knives and sticks to scare students.
“This is contrary to the false report that they were shooting at students. It was the Mobile Police Force that reportedly shot tear gas to disperse them. In the ensuing confusions, students were running and creaming. One student who is an asthma patient fainted. But she immediately regained consciousness at the School Clinic, and was observed in a matter of few hours before being allowed to go home.
“We challenge anybody with a contrary claim to provide the identity(ies) of any dead student from the sad incident. Deliberately spreading falsehood is unpatriotic, destructive and dangerous for our national life and nobody should ever allow themselves to be used to smear others.”
While passing a vote of confidence in the Rector, management and Governing Council of Auchi Polytechnic for their maturity and professionalism in handling the security situation, the Coalition called for the “suspension of the the entire SUG election and the setting up of an interim Committee to foresee the activities of the Union until all investigations are concluded and culprits punished to serve as a deterrence to others.”
