Students of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, staged a protest on Monday to express their outrage over the increasing attacks by hoodlums, which have led to the tragic deaths of five students within the past year.
Led by the President of the Polytechnic’s Student Union Government (SUG), Geoffrey George, the students gathered at the institution’s main gate as early as 8 a.m., despite warnings from the school’s management against the demonstration. Their grievances extended beyond the criminal activities of robbers, as they also condemned alleged police brutality and extortion targeting students in the area.
Waving placards with inscriptions such as “End Police Brutality Now,” “Protect, Save, Don’t Abuse,” and “This Extortion Must Stop,” the students demanded immediate action to address their safety concerns.
Speaking on the reason for the protest, SUG President George lamented the deteriorating security situation, citing a recent viral video that showed a student being brutalized and dragged along the road by policemen, leaving him with severe injuries.
“Students in Ikot Ekpene are constantly extorted by the police, and we no longer feel safe, especially those of us living off-campus,” George stated. “Hoodlums regularly attack students, snatching their phones and, in some cases, killing them. In the past year alone, we have buried more than five of our colleagues who were murdered in their residences by armed robbers while the police turned a blind eye.”
Another student, who preferred to remain anonymous, disclosed that the Polytechnic Rector had summoned SUG executives earlier that morning, warning them against proceeding with the protest. However, the students remained resolute.
“We will not be silenced because our lives are at stake,” the student declared. “We want the world to know that the police are failing us. Instead of protecting us, they are extorting money from struggling students while our colleagues are being killed.”
Reacting to the protest, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Akwa Ibom State Command, DSP Timfon John, revealed that the State Commissioner of Police (CP), Baba Mohammed Azare, had invited the student representatives for a meeting to discuss and resolve their concerns.
“The CP has invited the students for a meeting this morning, and we are expecting them,” DSP John stated. “There will be no protest; those students seen at the school gate were only gathering in preparation for the meeting with the CP.”
As tensions persist, students await tangible actions to address their security concerns, calling for urgent intervention to curb criminal activities and restore their confidence in law enforcement.
