Students of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), on Tuesday, protested over the death of one of their colleagues, Adeyinka Daniel, who lost his life in an auto accident on Monday night in Akure.
The students, who blocked all the entrances to their institution and caused traffic gridlock on Akure/Ilesha Road, also declared Tuesday as a lecture free day.
Three other students who also sustained injuries in the acciden are currently receiving treatments in an undisclosed hospital.
The students accused the school management of not promptly and adequately attending to late Daniel, a 200 level student of Software Engineering Department.
They claimed that the death could have been avoided if security guards at FUTA gate had not delayed them with unnecessary protocols when the accident victims were rushed into the school health centre.
Speaking to newsmen, Mr Ayoade Kikiowo, President of the National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS), who is also a FUTA student, said the victim died due to negligence of FUTA management.
Reacting to the incident, Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of FUTA, said the incident happened about 10 pm on Monday while the victim and his colleagues were heading to a destination.
“The school management expresses deep sadness at the demise of one of its students, Adeyinka Daniel, in the early hours of August 2, following an automobile incident on Oyemekun Road, Akure.
“We commiserate and identify with family , friends and fellow students of the deceased on this very painful loss of a promising student.
” The university is particularly saddened by the circumstances leading to his death.
“From available information, the deceased student, along with others, was involved in an accident outside the campus about 10 PM on August 2.
“They were first taken to a private hospital where doctors battled to save their lives.
” Three of the students were stabilised but Daniel’s condition remained critical. When his condition deteriorated, the doctor at the private hospital referred him to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for intervention.
“At that time the parents of the student and some relations had joined him at the private hospital and it was decided, because of time, to bring him to the university health centre.
“The deceased student was brought to the FUTA Health Centre at 3: 20 am and the doctor on duty promptly attended to him in the car of the parents,” Adebanjo said.
The university spokesman added that all efforts to resuscitate Daniel proved abortive; as there was no cardiac activity and response to any stimuli.
According to Adebanjo, after a thorough examination, the doctor declared at 3:40 am that the victim was brought clinically dead.
He said that the doctor offered to take the boy to the morgue with the university ambulance but the parents declined, electing to take him home, ostensibly for burial.
“The medical report from the private hospital which was brought along with him indicates that the student was clinically non responsive by 1.30 AM, well before they got to the university health centre at 3:20 AM.
“The death is unfortunate and regrettable,” he said
The PRO stated that the university had ordered an immediate review of the incident in order to ascertain the circumstances leading to it.
He noted that the university’s thoughts and prayers were with the family of the deceased student, adding that the institution was also monitoring the state of treatment of the other students who were also involved.
Adebanjo prayed that God grants the family and friends of the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
