AAU Shut over Students Protest

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Academic activities at the Edo State owned Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, have been shut down indefinitely as a result of students protest.

It was as gathered that the students clashed with police over the subtle attempt by the management of the school to increase students’ tuition fees.

The students, it was also learnt, kicked against the policy of the current management which instructs that 200 level students should pay the exact amount they paid the previous session which is against the conventional system where the students pay less as they move higher.

In the process, the students were said to have refused all entreaties from the school management, seized a truck load of rice which was reportedly set ablaze after allegedly emptying the content.

When the entreaties failed, the management had to conveyed an emergency Senate meeting where the action of the students was condemned and school shut indefinitely.

Consequently in a press statement signed by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Edward Aihevbe, the institution insisted that the decision to close the institution indefinitely was reached after the university’ senate reviewed the protest.

He said the university senate viewed the protest as uncalled for and unnecessary, adding that management was already looking into their grievances when the students barricaded the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi highway.

The university spokesman denied social media report that two students were shot by security agents, adding that the students were given until 4pm to vacate the campus.
“No student was shot. They barricaded the highway and soldiers escorting an Army vehicle that was passing the road had to shoot into the air to scare the students away,” AAU PRO said.

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