TELL Magazine

Students Union Government, SUG, of the University of Benin reacts to Attack on Labour Party candidate, Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, at the university’s Senior Staff Club on Friday April 12, 2024.

Update on Security Threats and Institutional Disregard

The Students Union Government, in its usual mode and advocacy for transparency, wishes to update her students and the general public on the event that took place in the late hours of the12th of April 2024.The notice of the Students’ Union Government was brought to a massive gathering of students at the Senior Staff Club, an unusual venue, as students typically are not permitted there.

On getting the notice, the SUG Executives swiftly went ahead to the venue to confirm the situation, and on getting on the scene, were received with intense and rude hostility, and further told “that there was no student there”, a statement which later turned out to be false, as some students were sighted on the scene.

The Union also shockingly found out that the Labour Party governorship aspirant in person of Olumide Akpata, was on ground, and the Students’ Union inquired as to why students were at a staff club meant for STAFFS ONLY!

A staff member responded, stating that the Vice-chancellor was aware; the union further inquired if the Vice Chancellor gave her approval to such a meeting, to which the President of the staff club did not reply, and later said YES, (further confirmations a few hours later by the various DVCs who called and came to the scene proved that her affirmation of approval was also untrue) and after verbal deliberations between the SUG and the club leadership, a lecturer from the Department Of Statistics explained and also apologized.

However, tensions escalated when the Staff Club’s President suddenly claimed autonomy from the University and out rightly stated “that the staff club has no affiliation with the University of Benin “thereby exacerbating the situation.

While the SUG made attempts to quench the heated conversations, lecturers from the Faculty Of Law made a comment to the union, echoing that “we pushed Lemuel to the ground before and we will push him and others again”. This was in respect to an incident that occurred earlier in the day at the Faculty Of Law, where a certain lecturer, Dr. Julius Edobor, pushed the President of the Student Union to the ground whilst he was on call with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, and went further to slap the Director of Welfare on his chest, while also insulting the Vice President of the Union, questioning the legitimacy of her emergence into off ice

The Assistant Secretary General was not spared either as she also received a heavy dose of insult from the aggressive lecturer. The incident was aptly taken to the Dean of Law and Dean of Students, whilst the SUG President pleaded that the lecturer should be pardoned, to de-escalate the situation.

Fast forward to the evening at the Staff Club; these same lecturers made a mockery of the Union, and during the heated verbal discussion, the SUG Director of Sports was dragged and beaten severely by some of the armed men that came with the Labour Party Governorship Aspirant (candidate) in the person of Olumide Akpata, while another person sustained gunshot wounds.

After rescuing the Director of Sports, the SUG officers called the University Security, and the school’s security ascertained that they were not aware of such a meeting; the management authorities also made it known to us that no authorisation was given for such a gathering, especially with students present.

While the saga continued, the Labour Party Governorship Candidate stormed off and drove out of the venue. We further heard gunshots sound at the school’s main gate and on getting there, it was made known to the SUG that the convoy forced themselves into the school premises after being denied access at the entrance severally by the security at the main gate.

It is also apt to note that the DPO of Ugbowo Police Station has been briefed on the matter by the SUG to ensure the students have a calm environment. It is important to buttress that this is an extreme security threat to the students of the University of Benin as men with guns and thugs forcefully admit themselves into the school premises to do whatever they like within the premises of students.

We frown on this action in its entirety because it is wrong, and it is a huge slap on the students, the Union and the University of Benin community at large.

The SUG also formally informs the public that the student community and its leadership frowns against using students as a means of campaigning in quasi-campaigns, which was going on at the institution’s staff club. It is also worth noting that the President of the UNIBEN staff club is currently being questioned for his actions by the appropriate authorities and that No student was arrested during and after the entire incident.

This is a clarion call to all UNIBEN students as we echo our stand that disrespect from foreign groups and organizations, as well as nonchalant attitude from the individuals tasked with duties within the institution, will not be commended, accepted or accommodated, especially when it breaks the institution’s rules and regulations. We further highlight that it is a duty and priority for the management at any level to protect the welfare of the students and ensure the safety of students, as the saga that happened today is a slap on the prestigious Federal Citadel of Learning.

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