The Vice Chancellor of the Osun State University, Prof. Bashir Okesina, says the university has engaged the services of members of the Oodua People’s Congress to protect its students from rapists and hoodlums.
Okesina said this while addressing a press conference in Osogbo on Monday as part of activities marking the third convocation of the university.
It was learnt that the university took the step because of the reported cases of rape of some female students of the university at their private hostel.
Although the VC debunked the claim that some female students of the university were raped, he said the management was merely taking steps to prevent such.
The vice chancellor also said the university management was partnering with the police to increase their patrol at places where students of the institution resided.
He explained that students were living at private hostels outside the campus because the university, which started academic activities in 2007, was originally designed to be non-residential.
He said, “We want to transform from non-residential institution to a residential one to be able to protect our students among other advantages.
“When the issue of rape was reported – although no student came to report such and the report was not substantiated – we contacted the OPC and the police on the security of the area where our students are living.
“We also talked with the police to find out what to do to assist them step up patrol around the university campus especially where the majority of our students reside.
“We met with the leaders of the community on the same issue. Whether the report of rape is true or not, it is dangerous and we don’t want it to happen. The OPC and the police are involved in security arrangement in the areas and we are all tackling the problem together.”
The vice chancellor added that 20 students among the 1,200 who will be awarded their degrees on Saturday made first class degree in various fields.
According to him, 328 students made second class upper division, while 658 will be awarded with second class, lower division.
Okesina stated that the university was currently running 44 programmes duly accredited by the National Universities Commission, saying the body had also given the varsity the approval to begin to run higher degrees.
Responding to a question on the efforts being made by the university to make its product job creators rather than job seekers, the vice chancellor said that the university mandated its students to acquire some skills as part of its entrepreneurial studies. (Punch)