The Plateau state Government has turn around to confirm the death of one student during the monday protest by Plateau state Polytechnic students.
The Government in an earlier press statement denied the death of any student during the protest and appealed to citizens to exercise calm. However reports on social media and from the schools student body have earlier insisted on the killing of one student and how the army brutally injured others.
A turn around statement from the government through the state commissioner of information and and communication, Hon Dan Manjang, said Government is condemning the killing and has therefore directed an immediate and thorough investigation to be conducted into the circumstances leading to the death of the student.
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Recall that the Plateau State Government issued a Press Statement on Monday 20th September 2021 to throw more light on the protests by students of the Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi who blocked the main highway into the State from both the main campus and the Jos campus respectively.
In the statement, background was given as to the reasons for the student protests which were triggered by an Industrial Action by the Polytechnic’s unions to press home their demands despite the fact that exams were slated to start same day (20th September 2021).
As at the time the last Press statement was issued which was shortly after the Deputy Governor Prof. Sonni Gwanle Tyoden met with the unions, school management and student union representatives to resolve the matter, there was no reported death as a result of the protests, apart from some students that were injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
However, the Government has today regretably received the sad news from the Police of the death of one of the students who was said to have been hit by a stray bullet and taken to hospital for treatment but could not survive.
This is a very sad development which the Government totally condemns and has therefore directed an immediate and thorough investigation to be conducted into the circumstances leading to the death of the student.
While commiserating with the family of the deceased student, the Government assures that it will not spare anyone found culpable in the death of the student as it is determined to ensure that justice is done.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor has directed a Government delegation to visit the family of the deceased student to sympathise with them over the sad and unfortunate situation.