More Videos, Reactions From Protest At Michal Okpara University

More videos capturing the ripple effect of the student protest that errupted at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUA), Abia State on Tuesday, have emerged.

The  protesting students had  taken to different sections of the University environment to express their grievances  against a hike in tuition fees. The students alleged that authorities of the institution chased them out of examination halls for failing to pay the hiked fees.

One of the videos depict broken chairs, tables, board, etc in an examination hall, some captured the enraged students invading a female students’ hostel while, others are shown pursuing a man believed to be the vice-chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, while they chanted, “we no go gree o”!

In a swift response to quell the uproar, the University management on behalf of the Senate, issued a circular signed by the VC, ordering an indefinite shut down of the University explaining that it was necessary “to safeguard life and property on campus”.

According to the circular, all students were ordered to vacate the University Premises not later than Tuesday evening.

See Circular below👇

In an interview with GWG, a lecturer at the the institution , reacting to the unfortunate incident said:

“There was a mass resistance against exams that were supposed to be held yesterday, the 6th of February, 2024. The VC had put the students under pressure to pay their fees in full, else they’ll not be allowed to sit for exams. 

“In one of the colleges, precisely College of Crop and Soil Sciences, exams were canceled because supervisors did not use the biometric system to capture students who have paid. This new tech brought tension on campus because most students were not going to write the exams if not captured.

“Again, I think if the VC had allowed students to pay their fees in installments, this crisis would not have erupted. We are facing very difficult times in the country and our leaders should have a sense of pity for young people who try hard to go to school. So the parents who have their children in MOUAU have not been paid their January salary as I talk to you now. So, how do we pay our children’s fees? We must have human feelings during this period of economic hardship.”

A male student who witnessed some aspects of the protest said, “Some of the students paid school fees, it was showing in their school fees receipt but not reflecting in biometrics then the VC said that if is not reflecting in biometrics such person will not write exams even when the person is with his school fees receipt. In reaction, the aggrieved student said, ‘if with my school fees receipt, I am not allowed to write exams because it’s not showing in my biometric, then nobody will write exams’. This is what led to the protest.”

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