Crime

Innocent residents of Ibadan have continued to count their losses following the fracas that ensued between students of IMG Grammar School and their counterparts from Ansarudeen Grammer School, Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

At least nineteen vehicles brought for repairs at a mechanic village were destroyed by the protesting students.

Staff Reporter Adedayo Adelowo visited the scene of the crises for assessment of the situation, the remote cause and ways of preventing a recurrence.

The incident started yesterday when a group of Ansar-udeen students allegedly stormed the premises of IMG Sharp Corner, attacking them with stones.

Students of IMG Grammar School in an attempt to prevent “oppression” repelled the visitors with machetes and other dangerous weapons and chased them out of the area.

They were said to have also thrown stones to discard the perceived aliens and in the process, forced the residents to scamper for safety as well as destroying vehicles numbering nineteen at the nearby mechanic village and attacking people at will.

Efforts of the residents and the mechanic to curb the students’ outrage were futile as they reportedly defied control.

The event took a new dimension today as some workers at the mechanic village decided to go violent by destroying a canteen in front of the school on the grounds that the woman habours some criminally-minded students, an allegation the owner of the shop has denied.

A worker at the mechanic village narrated how it happened and appealed to stakeholders in assisting them on how to repair the damaged vehicles.

A source hinted Radio Nigeria that the recurring crisis in the school was orchestrated in connivance with some teachers and students.

The source identified one of the students as “Kesari” a name depicting a notorious character in a Nigerian home video as the leader of a gang which had been terrorizing the school.

Some of the vehicle owners have appealed to relevant authorities to look into their plight and assist in the repairs of their vehicles and also ensure that perpetrators were brought to book.

Although there was no presence of security operatives as at the time Radio Nigeria was leaving the area, a visit to Iyaganku Police Station revealed that some students had been arrested.

It was also gathered that a stakeholders meeting on the matter had been scheduled at the Iyaganku Police Station.

Meanwhile, normalcy had returned to the school, however, few students were in attendance as the teachers strategically positioned themselves near escape routes in case of violence breaks out.

Adedayo Adelowo