Ajayi Crowther varsity to subject students, staff to drug tests
Ajayi Crowther University has decided to subject students, porters, and security personnel to mandatory drug tests, according to a report from the institution’s alumni executive.
This is coming in the wake of the death of a student who was said to have been beaten to death by some of his colleagues.
PUNCH Online reports that a 200-level Mechanical Engineering student at the institution, Akpo Alex, had, last week, been beaten to death by some of his colleagues. The beating was said to have been occasioned by an alleged stealing of a phone belonging to one of them.
“He also said that every one of the students, university porters, and securities would be subjected to drug tests, and if they are found culpable, they would be expelled and dismissed with immediate effect,” the school’s alumni executive report signed by its president, Hon Busoye Ogunlade, stated on Thursday, quoting the university’s vice-chancellor, Prof. Timothy Adebayo.
The report comes after the alumni executive visited the university management to get updates and offer suggestions in the aftermath of the student’s death.
During the visit, the Ajayi Crowther University vice-chancellor informed the alumni that all individuals involved in the incident, including the suspected perpetrators, a porter, and two security personnel accused of rape, are currently in police custody awaiting legal proceedings.
“The porter of the same hostel where the incident happened is still in police custody till date. Also, the two securities who were reported for rape are to appear in court today, May 30, 2024,” the report stated.
In addition to the drug testing measures, the university has increased its security presence on campus, with civil defence officers working alongside existing security personnel.
The report also mentioned that the parents of the deceased student visited the university and suggested ways to raise awareness among students about proper channels for reporting incidents instead of taking matters into their own hands.
The alumni executive expressed its commitment to working closely with the university management to uphold the institution’s vision and ensure the safety of students.
“We told the management that the Alumni as a body would keep working hands in hands with the university to ensure the vision of its establishment is well pursued to the core,” the report stated.
Earlier, the VC noted that the school has learnt from this incident and has beefed up security and monitoring while encouraging students to report whatever is happening around them to the vice-chancellor and other management staff.
