By KINGSLEY OMONOBI & GBENGA ARIYIBI
The Ekiti Police Command, yesterday, confirmed the death of three persons during a protest in Ikole-Ekiti over the location of the Federal University of Agriculture in Oye-Ekiti.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, yesterday,  expressed his displeasure over the destructive act that followed the protest, warning that such would no longer be condoned in future, just as Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi,  has vowed to resist any attempt to relocate the Federal University allocated to the state from Ikole to Oye Ekiti, saying the state government must have an input over the site of the new university.

Governor Fayemi  had in November, announced Ikole_Ekiti as the site of the proposed university.

The announcement of Oye-Ekiti as the location for the university, however, sparked off a violent protest by youths in Ikole-Ekiti leading to loss of lives and wanton destruction of property in the community.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Olayinka Balogun, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti, said that four vehicles and a police post were also destroyed during the violence.

According to him, some policemen who sustained various degrees of injuries were on admission at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti.

Similarly, according to a statement  by Force Public Relations officer, DCP Olusola Amore, the IG expressed regrets over the death of the three demonstrators who died while attacking innocent students at Federal Government College, Ikole Ekiti which sparked off demonstrations and warns that Police will not fold its hand while government properties are being set on fire and innocents killed.

His words, “the burning of the Police Post and destruction of Police property was sequel to the death of three persons who lost their lives at Ikole Ekiti when demonstrators against the location of the Federal University Oye_Ekiti attacked the Federal Government College; Ikole Ekiti; caused several injuries to four students of the College and vandalized the school”.