Information emanating from Ogun State, western Nigeria suggest that some officers of the Nigerian police early today, 15 August, 2014, fired tear gas to disperse protesting students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, in Ago Iwoye.

According to a report published by PREMIUM TIMES, the students, who were initially embarking on a peaceful protest, turned violent after the teargas and damaged some public property.

It was gathered that the students had as early as 6:30 a.m on Friday continued the protest they started on Thursday, 14 August, 2014.

An eyewitness informed that the protesting students occupied the Presidential boulevard, the route leading to the office of Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

The source stated that the students said they would not let the governor, who was yet to arrive the scene, get to his office unless he addressed their demands.

It would be recalled that the OOU students have demanded a further reduction of their school fees, after the governor announced a reduction earlier in the week.

The students demanded that the reduction should commence from the current academic session and not the next as proposed by the state government.

It was gathered that over 100 policemen were seen at the venue of the protest on Friday morning before the students were dispersed with tear gas.

Another eyewitness informed that the protesting students seized a mass transit bus belonging to the state government and also forced a security vehicle filled with soldiers from the scene.

The source stated that the protest caused gridlock of traffic on roads leading to the governor's office as many motorists had to make detour.

Several civil servants working in the governor's office were forced to return home following the blockade of the road.

The students, who had commenced the protest on Thursday, were alleged to have camped at Rev Kuti Secondary School in Abeokuta for the night.

The President of the institution's Students Union Government, Olusegun Ifade, who addressed his colleagues, had promised that the protest would be peaceful as they would avoid clashed with security operatives.

"Let us conduct the protest in peaceful manner, but we have occupied this road for now until the governor attends to our demands. We are not leaving here," he said.

As at the time of compiling this report, the Ogun State government is yet to make a statement on the matter.

Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye is a state-owned and -operated university in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State Nigeria.

The university was founded July 7, 1982 as Ogun State University and was renamed Olabisi Onabanjo University on May 29, 2001 in honour of Chief (Dr.) Olabisi Onabanjo, whose efforts as the then civilian governor of Ogun State gave birth to the university.

The university has had a total output of 10,291 graduates and 1,697 postgraduates.

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