Four female students of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) in Ogun State, Nigeria, were raped by suspected armed robbers who attacked their hostels in Abapawa community on Tuesday morning.
The Ogun State Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, visited the victims at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, where they are receiving treatment and support.
According to reports, she also met with the school management and students to discuss the security situation and the measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.
She assured them that the government was committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens and that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abiodun Alamutu, and the Commissioner for Education, Professor Abayomi Arigbagbu, accompanied her on the visit.
The Commissioner of Police said that the police are working hard to apprehend the culprits and that no stone will be left unturned in the investigation.
The Commissioner for Education said that the incident was very disheartening and called on everyone to stand united against such heinous crimes and uphold the dignity and safety of all citizens.
The Deputy Governor did not give details on the victims, but a student union leader, Adebamowo Adeayo, said results of medical examination conducted on the victims showed that three of the young girls were virgins before the violent incident.
Adedayo said they have not done anything to deserve such fate; adding that one of them, a female Muslim student in hijab, was among them, and the victims have been admitted at hospital.
Salako-Oyedele said she paid a visit to the school management, students, and the victims of the incident, who are said to be currently receiving treatment at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.
The Deputy Governor in the post wrote, ” Earlier today, after receiving the distressing news about an armed robbery at some TASUED students hostels and the brutal rape of four female students, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun CON, directed me to immediately visit the victims and the campus on a fact-finding mission and to pledge the government’s support in ensuring that this doesn’t happen again.
“I have visited the girls who are now being cared for and given the necessary support to heal from their trauma at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) at OSUTH.
“Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students is of utmost importance and I subsequently had a crucial meeting with the management and students of TASUED.
“I was joined by the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abiodun Alamutu, and the Hon.Commissioner for Education, Professor Abayomi Arigbagbu, where we discussed concrete steps to bolster security measures and foster a safe environment on campus and the adjacent host community.
“The Ogun State government is committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens and that our institutions remain safe spaces for learning and growth.
At the meeting she had with the school management and student representatives, Salako-Oyedele, said the government will do everything humanly possible to bring to book the perpetrators of the unfortunate robbery and rape incident in the area, adding that they would not go unpunished.
She said the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu had visited the scene of the incident since it was first reported and he is working assiduously to ensure the culprits are apprehended to face the full wrath of the law.
She stressed the need to forestall further reoccurrence as it was one of the worst crimes against humanity. “I am on a fact-finding mission to establish what happened and what could be done to support the victims immediately and subsequently, apprehend the criminals and of course, prevent such a thing from happening again,” she said.
The Deputy Governor charged the school management to work with the concerned community, the police, and the students to develop stakeholder engagements to put in place mechanisms that will guarantee that the lives and properties of the students who live off campus are secured.
And promised that the victims will be given the needed support, medically, morally and emotionally to ensure they overcome the trauma and live normal afterwards free from stigmatisation of any kind.
State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, said the news of the incident was very disheartening, promising the aggrieved students union representatives that government would do everything humanly possible to apprehend the criminals.
Arigbabu said the CP has promised that the Police will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to book and justice prevails . And called on everyone to stand united against such heinous act and works collectively to uphold the dignity and safety of all citizens.
Theresa Arike
