There was pandemonium inside the premises of an Ogun State Magistrate court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta following the collapse of an unidentified student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, who had earlier been arraigned along with 27 others over Thursday’s violent protest in the institution.
The victim was said to have slumped and fainted when he could no longer withstand the heat inside the Black Maria he was kept with his colleagues for onward transfer to the prison, due to their inability to meet the conditions set by the court for their bail.
Magistrate Oriyomi Shofowora , had earlier granted bail to the victim and 27 other students , ordering them to provide two sureties , one of who must be a parent.
The magistrate also ordered that the second surety must produce a receipt of properties worth over N100, 000 .
Officials of the Nigeria Prisons Service and policemen at the court battled unsuccessfuly for over 10 minutes to revive the student. They poured sachet of pure water on him and even pressed his chest several times but he did not respond.
They also quickly pulled off his shirt to enable him get more fresh air.
Tension, however, heightened when the victim fell off the hands of the prison officials and others while they were rushing the the student to hospital after efforts to revive him failed.
The surging crowd at the court premises quickly turned the place to a prayer ground with many shouting, “You will not die in Jesus’ name “, while others resorted to chanting from the Quran to pray for the survival of the Student.
Speaking on the development, the state Chairman, Committee For the Defence of Human Rights, Yinka Folarin , threatened that officials of the NPS and the police would be held responsible if anything untoward should happen to the student.
Folarin said, “It is highly pathetic, even those who should be in custody of this victim are still the ones creating more problems. Let me say, categorically, that if anything should happen to the victim, both the Nigeria Prison Service and the Nigeria Police would be held responsible.
“It is very unfortunate that we have found ourselves in a very bad system. The magistrate had delivered the ruling and granted them bail but they left the victim and even when he fainted, instead of taking him to the hospital, they were still pressing his tummy, pouring water on him as if they were in a position to give the first aid.”
