Following a massive protest by the students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, on Tuesday, the management of the university has shut down the institution indefinitely.
This was disclosed in a statement issued and signed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, stating that the varsity “woke up to experience the violation of the long-existing peace.”
The statement partly read, “Miscreants took over the university, chasing and pursuing the Vice-Chancellor, damaging his official vehicle and those of his officials claiming that they were not allowed to take their 1st Semester examination owing to their failure to pay their charges.
“The university’s record show that more than 70 per cent of the students had paid their charges and were peacefully taking their examinations, while more than 2,000 were in the queue to pay and register their courses before the miscreants and hoodlums took the stage to cause trouble and disrupted the long-standing peace of the university.”
As part of efforts to safeguard life and property on campus, the management of the institution on behalf of the Senate, thereby, ordered an indefinite closure of the school.
“All students are advised to vacate the university premises immediately, but not later than 5pm on Tuesday, February 6, 2024,” the statement added.
However, information has it that the students were protesting over the increment of tuition on Tuesday.
Earlier on February 2, 2024, a circular by the Registrar, Dr Nkeiruka Mbanasor stated that students who had not paid their fees would not be allowed to sit for their examinations.
It was gathered that over 60 per cent increment was made on the fees.
When contacted, the Abia State Police Command confirmed the protest stating that the police carried out their constitutional duty of ensuring peace.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka said, “The command is aware of the students’ unrest that happened today (Tuesday) at MOUAU Umudike by the students and in line with our professional and constitutional duty in ensuring the peace and security of the state, the Commissioner of Police detailed men to that place and officers who were deployed there had calmed down the situation.
“At this moment the area is calm compared to what it was when they started the protest. Police have been able to clear the road and the area is calm. We are working professionally and it behooves us to ensure the peace and security of the state and we have deployed our men.
“In occasions like this, we use smoke and we do not shoot in the air. So, it must have been the teargas that was used to disperse those people rioting. We do not shoot in the air and the unrest has been calmed.”
