BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A final year undergraduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Bello Ibrahim, has been apprehended by the students of the University for allegedly stealing some underwear, mattresses and other items on the campus.
Bello, a 500 level student of Computer Science and Engineering Department, Faculty of Technology, was flogged 50 strokes of the cane for his complicity.
He was later paraded round the eight halls of residence on campus by some aggrieved students as deterrent to others.
Some students had agitated against the persistent loss of their belongings following their resumption to school after the protracted COVID-19 lockdown.
A search was said to have been conducted in the hostel following the complaint that was lodged by an undergraduate student of Awolowo Hall to the Students Union body of the university.
The Chairman of Ife Students Union Electoral Commission, Oluwafemi Ajayi, in an interview, said that Bello was beaten by his colleagues after being caught with some stolen items, including a fan, some boxers (male underwear), extension box, clothes and mattress belonging to some students in the halls of residence.
“We received a distress call from one of our fellow students in Awo Hall and immediately conducted a search for the missing items. During questioning, Bello confessed that he stole the items but pleaded that it was as a result of spiritual attack from his family.
“Our union has a tradition of dealing with students who misbehave. The tradition of punishing student offenders to serve as deterrent to others includes ‘scientific maximum shishi (severe beating),’ parading offenders across the eight halls of residence, and subjecting them to compulsory community service,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi, who disclosed that the final year student received 50 lashes before being paraded, said, “As a union, we make it a point of duty to establish our tradition and that had been done.
“It was unanimously agreed at the Students’ Union Building, witnessed by more than 100 students, that he should be given 50 strokes of the cane and paraded round the halls of residence. He will do community service by cutting the grass in front of the SUB after the parade.”
He admonished the students of the institution to abstain from stealing or taking to other negative behaviours that could tarnish the image of the institution.
“Stealing and other criminal activities are frowned at on the OAU campus. Students should make it a sense of responsibility to report criminal activities and suspicious movements on campus to the appropriate authorities. We have a tradition that cannot be bent. Any student caught breaching the law would be dealt with accordingly,” Ajayi stressed.
