ASUU wades in as Unilorin lecturer beaten by student recovers

The chairman of University of Ilorin chapter of the  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said the union will ensure that the beating of a female lecturer of the institution suffered from a student is not swept under the carpet. A 400-level student of the Department of Microbiology of the university, Waliyullah Salaudeen, is […]

The chairman of University of Ilorin chapter of the  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said the union will ensure that the beating of a female lecturer of the institution suffered from a student is not swept under the carpet.

A 400-level student of the Department of Microbiology of the university, Waliyullah Salaudeen, is reported to have beaten a lecturer to stupor over a disagreement regarding his SIWES programme. The incident, it was gathered, happened on Thursday.

The student, popularly known as ‘Captain Walz’ reportedly skipped his Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) and sought the lecturer, Dr R. S. Zakariya’s help.

According to findings, the student had gone to the lecturer’s office to seek her help over his failure to undergo the compulsory SIWES scheme.

But following the lecturer’s refusal, Walz reportedly became furious and pounced on her, inflicting injuries on the lecturer.

She was subsequently taken to hospital after she became unconscious.

Another lecturer in the department who narrated the incident to Daily Trust on Sunday described it as worrisome and frightening.

“Dr Zakariya was the one in charge of their SIWES scheme and Waliyullah did not go for it which means he will lose a whole semester.

“All his efforts to sway the lecturer and the level adviser to award him marks to pass the SIWES failed. 

“There were two of them but his colleague heeded the advice to go back and have it even for one month while Waliyullah refused.

“But on Thursday, he came to the lecturer’s office while she was attending to two female students and started banging her table. When he was ordered to leave her office, he instead descended on the lecturer.

“He told the two female students that he would kill them first before killing Dr Zakariya if they refused to leave.

“While he pursued the female students out, Dr Zakariya found a way to escape but he chased her. She fell but he continued to beat her until she became unconscious before some people around who had thought they were two students fighting went after him,” the source added.

Daily Trust further gathered that Waliyullah has been handed over to the police at the ‘F’ Division, Tanke.

Another source at the university said “He had never been a serious student and has two sessions to spill aside the issue of the SIWES.

“He was also a great singer and used to perform in many picnics and parties held by the students from where he got his moniker”, the source added.

A family source said although the victim is now in a stable condition, she was heavily traumatized by the incident.

The spokesman of the Kwara State Police Command, Ajayi Okasanmi said he was yet to be briefed about the incident when contacted.