Kehinde Adewole, Ado Ekiti
The National Association of Universities’ Students (NAUS) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Crown Flour Mills Nigeria Limited to reward a student victim of an auto accident allegedly caused by a driver of the company, threatening mass action.
The Union claimed that the company has abandoned the accident victim, identified as Victoria Akinniyi, who has lost her left arm to the accident caused by the company’s driver about three years ago.
NAUS threatened that the company’s headquarters in Lagos and other subsidiary stations across the country will be closed down by students should the company fail to adhere strictly to their demands on or before January 18.
The student body, in a statement by its National Vice President, David Aruson Aridiogo, in Ado Ekiti, on Saturday, regretted how the company had allegedly abandoned the 300 level female student of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Ekiti State University, over two years after the truck belonging to Crown Mills had collided with the vehicle conveying the victim along Ado Iyin road in 2017.
Akinniyi, travelling alongside other passengers, had been involved in an accident allegedly caused by a reckless driver working for the company, an accident which eventually led to the amputation of her arm.
NAUS demanded “that the Crown Flour Mills must as a matter of responsibility take care of the medical bill of the student, compensate her for the physical and mental torture suffered, while the driver of the truck must also be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“The management team of the company is hereby given a seven-day ultimatum to meet these demands, otherwise we shall as an association mobilise against the company throughout the nation,” he said.
Aridiogo added that it was excruciating to note that despite all frantic efforts made by the leadership of NAUS at ensuring that justice was secured for Akinniyi through diplomatic means and in a manner bereft of confrontation, the management of the company had decided to be recalcitrant and rebuffed all of the Union’s entreaties.
“It is really embarrassing that despite the fact that the reckless driving of a driver of this company, which had proven to be inhuman and lacking in empathy, caused the death of a lecturer of Afe Babalola University and left Akinniyi in this painful and agonising condition, Crown Flour Mill Ltd had refused to take responsibility in ensuring that the student, with an amputated hand and who has not been able to afford medical bills as a result of the damage, is taken care of.
“The entire students’ populace and the general public must note that the Crown Flour Mills Ltd has failed to dialogue with the victim’s family and practically abandoned her to her unwilling fate. We are demanding for commensurate compensations for her, so as to ensure that the amputated Akinniyi is given proper medical attention.”
Aridiogo stated that the body of Nigerian students must rise up en mass to demand worthy compensations for Akinniyi and other victims of the accident.
“However, if Crown Flour Mills Ltd fails to respond positively and fairly to the situation, it may be necessary to make Nigeria’s business atmosphere unfavourable for the organisation.
“The life of every student matters more than the profits of any organisation that makes its gains from other numerous patronages. We should see this injury to one as an injury to all, which we would not close our eyes or turn deaf ears to,” the student leader said.