About 26 students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, are presently receiving treatment in different hospitals in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
The students received different degrees of injury after an explosion rocked a nearby filling station, thus affecting their hostel at Legere Road, close to the school campus in Ile-Ife.
Journalists spoke with a student, Sanusi Aderemi, who was in the building when the incident happened. He said that he escaped by a whisker.
In his words:
“We just heard this loud sound of an explosion and before anyone could blink, fire started burning properties and students as well. It was a pathetic experience. I only escaped by God’s grace.”
The Students Union President of the institution, Abbass Akinremi Ojo, who spoke in a phone conversation with news men said that the unfortunate incident occurred around 6:00 pm on Tuesday.
According to Ojo, the swift intervention of the NANS National Senate President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, had led to the concerned filling station and two other annexes being closed down.
“The owner of the filling station also owns the hostel; he will be responsible for the hospital bills because our students are presently still in the hospital. He also has to refund our students their rent for the year because that hostel has been greatly damaged. Students cough out between N200,000 to N250,000 yearly and this is what they get ?”
“Lets not forget that most of the lodging students lost their belongings, which means he must also pay for damages! We will stop at nothing to guarantee justice for our affected students.” Ojo vowed.
The Senate President of NANS promised is yet to comment at the time of making this report.
