Students of the University of Abuja yesterday blocked the Giri-Airport road over the death of one of their colleagues that was run over by a hit- and -run motorist.

The students, in large numbers and carrying sticks and leaves, blocked the two lanes as they protested the killing of one of them  on the road, while travellers were held in the ensuing gridlock.

Some motorists coming from both lanes were forced to make a u-turn, while passengers alighted from vehicles to take motorcycles to their destinations.

According to DailyTrust Correspodent, A student, Shedrack Williams, said they decided to block the road in order to protest the killing of a female student of the university by a hit- and- run driver under the pedestrian bridge by the entrance of the university.

He said the deceased student, Simi Boye, had returned to the university at the weekend and alighted at the entrance, adding that some hoodlums accosted her to snatch her bag and while she tried to escape, an overspeeding vehicle ran over her on Sunday night.

He said the deceased, who was a 200 level student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, was taken to the university clinic where she was pronounced dead and  her remains were deposited at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital morgue.

Also speaking to our reporter, the President of the Student Union Government (SUG), Comrade Abdulazeez Ajiboye, said the decision of the students to block the road was informed by the increasing rate of students that are killed by hit- and -run drivers.

He claimed that seven students of the institution have been killed by hit- and- run drivers at the main entrance of the university in recent times.

“We feel there is need to protest and block the road so that the authorities of the university will know what our colleagues have been passing through,” he said.

Meanwhile, the management of the university has promised to take proactive measures in securing the lives of its students. The vice chancellor,  Professor Michael Adikwu, while addressing SUG leaders said the management will address the matter.           

Adikwu, further assured the angry students that the institution would come up with solutions that would curtail recurrence of such incidents.                       

 DailyTrust