Lagos University Guilty Of Killing Student Activist, Omomeewa — Education Rights Campaign
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has said the management of Lagos State University has a case to answer as it alleged that the school persecuted Nurudeen Alowonle Yusuf, aka Omomeewa to death.
This was made known in a statement issued by the group's National Coordinator, Hassan Soweto and the Acting National Mobilisation Officer, Adaramoye Lenin on Tuesday.
Omomeewa was shot dead last Wednesday, near the gate of the school by unknown gunmen hours after appearing before the school's disciplinary committee over alleged admission racketeering and unlawful possession of university documents.
The ERC noted that Omomeewa would not have been at the place he met his untimely death were it not for the invitation by the disciplinary panel.
The ERC also questioned the unavailability of security men at the spot where Omomeewa was killed, stating that the venue of the incident was just a few metres from the school gate which always has, at least 3 or 4 campus' marshals often armed with guns. See Also 
The group also highlighted several inconsistencies in the accounts given by the police, the institution's security unit and management, hence called for an independent and democratic probe to unravel the truth.
Omomeewa, according to the statement, completed his studies in the last academic session but was not issued his certificate over alleged admission racketeering, which it said is connected to the deceased's opposition to anti-students and anti-workers’ policies introduced by the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adigun Olanrewaju Fagbohun.
“Such policies included an increase in acceptance charges from N10,000 to N20,000, introduction of a dubious medical fee of N10,000, harassment of students by campus marshals trying to enforce the dress code, increment of fees from N25,000 per session which was a product of tumultuous struggle in 2014 to N150,000 for stream 2 students.
“The Prof. Fagbohun-led administration was able to impose this dubious and anti-poor policy by balkanizing the admission into stream 1 and stream 2 whereby stream 1 pays about N54,000 while stream 2 pays N150,000 even though both group of students use the same facilities and are taught by the same staff.
“But perhaps the major crime of Omomeewa and for which he became a target for victimisation was his solidarity and that of the ERC for the leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU-LASU) who were sacked by the Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun administration for challenging the Vice Chancellor’s qualification for his position and for opposing his anti-worker and tyrannical policies.
"Angry and vengeful, the management first showed a taste of how far it was ready to go in punishing Omomeewa when in February 2019 it moved might and main to ensure he never emerged as President of the Students Union even though he won the most votes.
“Thereafter in October 2019, the management using the Department of State Services (DSS) planted evidence on him in order to ensnare him in a phantom case of admission racketeering. Since 2019 when the panel has been sitting perfunctorily, it has failed to call any witnesses including those who planted the evidence on Omomeewa despite the fact that he had gone to great lengths to furnish the panel and SIEU with their particulars. The panel actually had no plan to prove a case of admission racketeering because there was simply nothing to be proved. Rather, the case of admission racketeering was simply a gimmick to hold on to Omomeewa’s certificate for as long as it would take.
“This is why we say that the invitation of Omomeewa by the Management of the Lagos State University (LASU) to appear before the panel the day he was killed raises a whole lot of suspicion and therefore must not be overlooked by the Police. This is especially as it turned out that his appearance before the panel on this day was just a waste of his time.
"For instance, the panel could not produce documents he had submitted to it months before. Rather the panel expected him to have brought copies of these same documents and since he did not, they simply asked him to come back in the next two weeks. This kind of time-wasting and delays were the reasons the panel dragged since 2019 and in the context of his brutal murder, they raise so many questions which only an independent and democratic probe can unravel.
"For us in the ERC, we are strongly of the opinion that the Lagos State University (LASU) management persecuted Omomeewa to death and are in that respect culpable and guilty."
The group warned that it will hold the Nigerian Police Force, especially the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, responsible should the case be swept under the carpet.
It further requested that the murder case be immediately transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID), Panti for the commencement of proper investigation.
The ERC called for the arrest and prosecution of the killers of Omomeewa while asking that the autopsy be immediately conducted in order to satisfy the wishes of the family who want to commit the deceased to earth in order for healing to commence.
The body also called for the setting up of a democratically constituted security committee comprising elected representatives of LASUSU, staff unions, SEIU, the Nigeria Police and communities which will work out a common strategy to keep the campus and its vicinity safe for students and staff.
It added: “Withdrawal of the false charges of admission racketeering levelled against Omomeewa, posthumous release of his certificate and payment of adequate compensation by the management of LASU to the wife and four-month-old child he left behind.
"An end to tyranny and victimization in LASU. Omomeewa was persecuted by LASU management. In his memory and honour, we demand the recall of all politically expelled, suspended and sacked students and staff activists in LASU and a halt to attacks on democratic rights.
“Reversal of all anti-poor and anti-student policies in LASU. We say no to N150,000 tuition for stream 2 admission students. We demand a reversal to N25,000 for all students and improved funding of LASU and its democratic management.”
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