Salaudeen Waliu, popularly known as Captain Walz, a final year student of the Department of Microbiology, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has explained why he beat up his female lecturer, Mrs Rahmat Zakariyyah to a coma.

Waliu was alleged to have gone to the office of Mrs Zakariyyah to beg her to help wave the required SIWES course which he missed due to an unexpected event.

He claimed to have met Mrs Zakariyyah numerous times, but all led to negative responses before last Thursday’s assault on the lecturer.

While speaking to University Campus Journalists, UCJ-Ilorin, the 400 level student claimed that ”months before the last Thursday’s incident, he was arrested and locked up for two months, thereby warranting his inability to attend SIWES duties.”

He said he had gone to Allen Avenue in Ikeja, Lagos State, to meet a friend for the first time. He was waiting for the friend when according to him, he “felt the impulse to urinate.”

Waliu said he urinated near a car parked by drainage when he was challenged by someone who must have washed the car.

He said he was accused of being a thief and was not allowed to explain himself before mobs descended on him, meted out jungle justice and handed him over to the police which led to his detention for two months.

The final year student said after the incident in Lagos, he approached Mrs Zakariyyah to explain to her his ordeal but the lecturer said there was no help to offer, except he joined the next set which would result in an extra year.

He said on the fateful Thursday when he entered the lecturer’s office, she ordered him out of her office.

“I got angry, I didn’t know what came over me, I started arguing and she told me to leave her office, I told her if I don’t leave, what is she going to do?

“She then threw a mug at me which injured me and I started beating her,” he added.

Waliu said the female lecturer did not fight back, so he went on to beat her and later dragged her out of her office to continue the beating.

“I dragged her out and she ran. I chased and kept beating her before people came. I tried to run but was later caught by the school security,” he stated in the security cell of the institution where he was locked up since he was returned from ‘F’ Divisional Police station, Tanke in Ilorin, the Kwara state.

Assault: Unilorin assures lecturers, staff of safety

The management of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) has assured lecturers, staff and students of the institution of their safety while carrying out their lawful duties.

This is contained in a statement signed by Dr Fola Olowoleni, the Registrar of the university, and made available to the newsmen on Monday in Illorin.

Reacting to the assault on Mrs Zakariyyah, the management stated that “they received with sadness the ugly incidence on Nov. 11, in which a 400 Level male student of the Department of Microbiology assaulted a female lecturer at the same department’.

“The attacker whose name was given as Salaudeen, Waliu-Anuoluwapo with matriculation number 17/55/EJI98, has since been taken by the University Security personnel for questioning and subsequent arraignment before the Student’s Disciplinary Committee (SDC) in line with the University’s rules and regulations.

“He will be handed over to the police for further investigations.

“Management hereby wishes to assure all staff members, teachers, students and non-teaching staffs of their safety,” the statement read in part.

Assault of Unilorin Lecturer: ASUU condemns attack, pledges action

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ilorin (Unilorin) Chapter, has condemned the attack on Mrs Zakariyyah, a female lecturer of Faculty of Life Sciences, by a student of the institution.

Prof. Moyosore Ajao, the Chairman of the association, made the condemnation during on Monday in Ilorin.

Recall that Waliu, aka Captain Walz, allegedly beat the lecturer to a coma. The student was alleged to have attacked the lecturer in her office because she refused to help him over his failure to do the mandatory Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

Reacting to the development, Ajao said the union would never allow “this dastardly act to go unaddressed”.

“It is not just because the lecturer is a female but because she is a human being and violence is never tolerated in ASUU, more or less in a university where character and learning are the essence of it.

“ASUU is patiently waiting on what the university management is going to do before we now apply our own action.

“But I can tell you that the union is not sleeping on the matter and we are never going to allow such matters to be swept under the carpet,” he stated.

The ASUU chairman explained that the matter of the assault has already been reported to the law enforcement agencies.

On speculation whether the student was under the influence of drugs, Ajao observed that in every 12, there is always a Judas, adding that though the students of the institution are largely well behaved, there are bound to be uncouth elements around.

“The university must demonstrate the capacity to deal with such an act, apart from that they must ensure that such a thing never happens again.

“You can’t have a student population of over 50,000 and you expect all of them to be disciplined.

“Whether under the influence of drugs or whatever is immaterial to ASUU. If he is under the influence of drugs, he left his house, are you telling me he did not see anybody, why did he choose to attack the particular lecturer?,” Ajao asked rhetorically.

The ASUU chairman said the union would also petition the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to also look at the possibility of drug usage in the incidence of the attack.

“I expect the NDLEA to swing into action. The union will petition to say, ‘these are the people you are looking for, you have had one and we are yet to hear anything’,” he added.

Ajao maintained that the union would continue to be proactive by protecting its members, adding that an injury to one is an injury to all.