Drivers Beat DSS Official Silly In Ekiti

Irate drivers at Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti on Friday attacked an operative of the Directorate of State Service (name witheld) and beat him silly for allegedly interfering in their protest.

Trouble started following a disagreement between the students of EKSU and Akoto drivers designated vehicles plying the institution over the number of passengers on a seat.

The students were said to have protested that the drivers reduce the number of passengers on a seat to its normal three from four that they had started carrying.

The disagreement escalated into a free-for-all and caused traffic gridlock from Bawa Area of Ado Ekiti.

An eyewitness said some of the drivers carried clubs, cudgels and sharp objects to scare passengers and motorists plying the road.

They also forced motorists to discharge students of the institution.

The situation took a more violent trend as the DSS official was attacked.

His clothes were torn to shreds and in the process sustained bruises, cuts and blood stains on his body when the reporters met him.

"I was punched, clubbed, stoned by the drivers and if not for the timely intervention of another colleague who fortunately came to the scene and shot in the air severally to scare the mob away, it would have been worse", he said.

Officials of the DSS, Policemen and some top officials of the  EKSU later visited the scene to restore peace in the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Albert Adeyemi, could not be reached for comments.

But a police source said it was the DSS official who courted trouble by challenging the drivers.

"He shot into the air four times and in the process heightened the tension."

Meanwhile, the students have vowed to ensure that the drivers comply with the regulation of only three people on a seat.