Students’ protest forces Nigerian university to close

The Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, has been shut indefinitely by the authority of the institution following a violent protest by students.

The students were protesting a road accident that claimed the life of their colleague, Joseph Odeh, and also left six others critically injured while going to school last week Wednesday.

CAMPUS REPORTER gathered that the accident occurred when the bus conveying the students’ tyre burst and the driver lost control of his vehicle.

Mr Udeh died after he and the other six students involved in the accident were taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi. The students accuse the hospital staff of delaying his treatment and thus causing his death.

The other six students are still on admittance at the hospital.

The injured students are Luther Laangi, 200-Level Agricultural and Environmental Engineering; Onuiigya Magida, 200-Level Animal Production; Cecilia Okori, 200-Level Fisheries; Patience Idoko, 200-Level Animal Production, and Emmanuel Omeh, 300-Level Animal Nutrition.

We gathered that following Mr Udeh’s death, his colleagues went wild vandalising parked vehicles and other facilities on sight while the bus that caused the accident was reportedly burnt.

The students reportedly damaged items at the hospital and also accused its staff of causing Mr Udeh’s death.

However, the school authority ordered the students to proceed on a mid-semester break with immediate effect, in an internal memorandum signed by the registrar of the institution, Helen Nyitse.

“All students are expected to hand over all university property in their possession and vacate the campus before 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 15 August 2018 until further notice”, the memo read.

When contacted on Thursday, Mrs Nyitse told our correspondent that the university senate had set up a panel to investigate the students’ allegation against the clinic staff and the circumstances that led to the protest.

She said the panel is expected to submit its interim report to the Senate in two weeks and a final report within a month.

Also, students of the school have continued to express their displeasure on social media over the medical services at the clinic.

Mr Udeh was buried last Friday in Otukpo, Benue State.