Students-Drivers’ Clash: Bida Poly Lecturer Regains Consciousness

Laleye Dipo in Minna

A Federal Polytechnic Bida lecturer, who was attacked with a machete on Sunday during a clash between students and commercial vehicle drivers, has regained consciousness.

Mr Ibrahim Jibril of the department of quantity Surveying regained consciousness at about 2.00pm on Monday after being in coma for about 20 hours.

A source at the Federal Medical Centre Bida where he was admitted for treatment informed THISDAY that the lecturer had “now stabilised.”

The source also informed THISDAY that the commercial motor-cyclist, Danlami, who was stabbed during the crisis had also recovered.

According to hospital sources, one of the students that died was shot in the back and the bullet came out from his chest.

Last Sunday, Bida town boiled as students and commercial vehicle drivers clashed leading to the admission of some students and members of the public, who were injured, at both the FMC and the Ndayako Memorial hospital.

Six of the victims were turned back from the FMC as a result of lack of space at the facility.

THISDAY learnt that both the polytechnic management and the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics are now at loggerheads over the plan by the management for lectures to commence immediately.

The ASUP, it was gathered, insisted that lectures would not commence until “the situation on the campus and the town improves”

It was however learnt that the situation on campus had gradually returned to normal even as soldiers continued to patrol the city.