Scores of law students from Akure South Local Government Area in Ondo State from various Universities in the country, yesterday, locked out workers of the council during a protest against non-payment of their book allowance.
They made bonfires at the entrance of the council secretariat located along Ilesha road in Akure just as they blocked the main gate to prevent the workers from resuming for work.
The aggrieved law students alleged that they have been receiving the allowance during the administration of the immediate past governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
They displayed placards with various inscriptions such as, ‘Chairman don’t play politics with our money’, ‘We are students, we are not thugs’, ‘Pay our book allowance’, ‘Book allowance is our right,’ among others.
Speaking with newsmen, the leader of the aggrieved students, Olaniyi Ogundipe said the council owed them their book allowance running to N3million.
Olaniyi said: “We decided to embark on this protest because it seems the council leadership does not want to pay the money, the money is now N3million and the chairman has been telling us that there is no money.
“She initially agreed to pay N1.5million from the money and we agreed but up till now nothing has been paid.”
Council keeps mum
When contacted for reaction, the chairman, Caretaker of the council Mrs. Margaret Atere was said to be busy in a meeting.
Police react
Spokesperson of the Ondo Police Command, Mr. Joseph said: “The students have right to protest but our own duty is to ensure they maintain law and order and not to allow hoodlums to hijack the protest. That was why we sent our men there.”
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