A foremost Human Rights lawyer and former member of the House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Kayode Oladele, has condemned the gruesome murder of Alex Timileyi, a 200-level engineering student of Ajayi Crowder University, Oyo, Oyo State last Saturday by his fellow students over an alleged mobile phone theft.
Prince Alex Timileyi was allegedly beaten to death by some of his schoolmates on the allegation of being found with a stolen phone.
His assailants were reported to have forcibly shaven his hair and clubbed him to death in one of the university’s hostels known as Shepherd Inn. A viral online video and report revealed that the victim was beaten from 6 p.m. on Friday to about 10 a.m. on Saturday. The slain student is said to be a prince and a first cousin to the Olu of Warri Kingdom.
Many Nigerian social commentators have taken to their various media handles to condemn in stronger term the brutal murder of the university undergraduate and have called on security agencies, particularly the government of Oyo State, to ensure justice for the slain Warri Prince.
Reacting to the incident in a statement, Hon. Oladele expressed his deep consternation and disgust on the killing of Alex Timileyi, saying, “The beating to death of a 200-level engineering student of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State is barbaric, inhuman and despicable. It smacks of gangsterism, an uncivilised behaviour that is esthetical to the expected engagements in an academic environment. That a student’s life could be snuffed out by his fellow students on alleged phone theft in a hostel facility within the University premises is not only disgusting, it is absurd, dehumanising and criminal to say the least. This barbaric behaviour shouldn’t be allowed in an ivory tower”.
Hon. Oladele called on the Oyo State Government, Minister of Education and security agencies to thoroughly investigate the incident. “I therefore lend my voice, calling on the Oyo State government, the security operatives and the Minister of Education to conduct a thorough investigation into this unfortunate incident with a view to bringing the perpetrators of this heinous act to account for their crime and if found guilty should be made to face the full wrath of the law”.
