From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
Management of the Lagos State University (LASU) has expressed sadness over an attack on a former student of the institution, Mr. Nurudeen Alowonle, (aka) Omomeewa, and a staff of the University, Mr. Waheed Majekodunmi, a Senior Assistant Registrar, which led to the untimely death of the former.
According to a press statement signed by Ademola Adekoya, Coordinator, Centre for Information Press and Public Relations, LASU, “The university management received with great shock, report of an attack on a former student of the University, Mr. Nurudeen Alowonle, A.K.A Omomeewa, and a staff of the University, Mr. Waheed Majekodunmi, a Senior Assistant Registrar, which led to the untimely death of the former.”
The incident was said to have taken place in the evening of Wednesday, 18th August, 2021 outside the University campus, along the Egbeda Igando Road.
The statement said the University Management was deeply saddened by the incident and expressed heartfelt condolences to the immediate and extended families of the deceased, his colleagues and friends, and the entire students’ body of the University.
According to the statement, regrettably, since the sad incident, the social media had been awash with several accounts, many of which were inaccurate and misleading, of circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident. “We had refrained from making a hurried statement until now in order to ascertain the facts considering the very sensitive nature of the incident,” the statement read.
The university management however made some clarifications with the benefit of investigations it carried out so far, “We hereby state the true position as follows, that Mr. Nurudeen Alowonle, a.k.a Omomeewa was a former student of the University, but was yet to receive his certificate due to an ongoing disciplinary case that he was facing in the university. The panel presiding over his case began sitting in 2019.
“The case continued until 2020 but the panel could not sit due to the Covid-19 pandemic-enforced lockdown, which took the larger part of the year. He was however invited by the panel, alongside several other students who had ongoing disciplinary cases, on Wednesday to defend himself,” the statement said.
The statement disclosed that Omomeewa appeared before the panel that same day as scheduled and was in fact, the first student attended to by the panel, and his case was concluded before 2pm.
The statement further read “Since leaving the panel before 2pm, Omomeewa ostensibly remained on the university campus until late in the evening during which time he met up with Mr. Waheed Majekodunmi.
“The duo were said to have hobnobbed at the University Senior Staff Club until past 8pm in the evening after which they left together through the Iba Gate of the University for their destinations.
“Unable to get vehicles at the School junction as it was late in the day, the duo were said to have trekked several metres away from the gate ostensibly in search of a vehicle. Unfortunately, they were attacked by men of the underworld, dispossessed of their valuables and shot.
“The Staff- Mr. Majekodunmi- was lucky to have escaped with the gunshot wounds and eventually got helped by passersby to a nearby hospital, but sadly, Omomeewa did not survive the attack.“
His body was said to have been deposited in a mortuary in Lagos, while the injured staff is currently receiving treatment at the University Health Centre and responding well to treatment.
The release also stated that, the university security department is working with the Security Agencies to investigate the sad incident with the aim of bringing the perpetrators to book.
The management while commiserating with all concerned, commended the Students’ Union, led by Com. Uthman Badmus, BADECIOUS and the entire students of the University for their maturity and restraint since the sad incident, and assured them that all issues surrounding the incident will be addressed.
