There was pandemonium at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, on Tuesday, when students of the institution went on the rampage, following the killing of a 200-Level student allegedly by an operator of commercial motorcycle popularly called okada.
In the process, no fewer than 10 vehicles, including two articulated vehicles with one of them belonging to Dangote Cement from Obajana factories and 10 motocycles were either vandalised or burnt by the irate mob.
It was gathered that a female student of the school, Haliat Jubril, took the motorcycle in town on Monday to the Zenith Bank area of the town and had altercations with the okada man.
An eyewitness said the okada operator and the girl did not agree on the fare, adding that it was in the process that the okada operator attempted to collect the lady’s phone in exchange for the fare.
It was further learnt that when the lady resisted, the motorcyclist drew out a knife and stabbed the girl and, in an attempt to hurriedly return the knife and run away from the scene, he mistakenly stabbed himself.
The student was said to have been rushed to the state specialist hospital, Lokoja, for treatment, where she later died on Tuesday morning as she was said to have lost much blood.
The motorcyclist was also said to have gone to the same hospital for treatment but the personel on duty demanded for police report before he could be treated and was idenfied by one of the students while coming out of the hospital premises, where he was arrested and handed over to the police.
The news of the death of the female student led to pandemonium around the school, as the students trooped out to avenge her demise on other okada operators in the vicinity.
