(The Demolished structure. Photo Credit: Daily Post)
The Imo State Government has demolished illegal structures and alleged criminal hideouts around the front gate of Imo State University (IMSU).
The exercise follows the d£ath of a 19-year-old student, Chibuike Friday, who lost his life in a motor accident within the campus.
The demolition, which targeted illegal roadside structures and suspected criminal hideouts within the university environment, was carried out by Nze Chinasa Nwaneri.
The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Monitoring and Compliance, in collaboration with the Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA), led by Frank Nkem.
Government officials said the operation was aimed at restoring environmental orderliness and improving road safety by reclaiming public spaces that had been illegally occupied over the years.
Several shanties suspected to be sheltering criminal elements involved in hard dr*g peddling and other unlawful activities were among the structures pulled down during the exercise.
The demolition took place barely 24 hours after a fatal road accident at the IMSU front gate.
According to the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Henry Okoye, the incident occurred when a Lexus ES 350, allegedly being driven at excessive speed during an unauthorised street racing activity, struck the 19-year-old student, an indigene of Ebonyi State, as he attempted to cross the road.
Another victim, Bright Ukwuoma, sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment.
Okoye confirmed that the driver, Dike Chibuike Micheal, from the Oguta area of the state, was arrested at the scene after officers rescued him from an angry mob.
Reacting to the development, the State Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, condemned the incident, attributing it to reckless driving.
He directed the State Traffic Department to carry out a thorough investigation, assuring that the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Residents and commuters within the area expressed hope that the clearing of the structures would improve visibility for motorists, enhance pedestrian safety, and reduce criminal activities within the campus and its environment.