UNIUYO SHUT AS STUDENTS PROTEST VC REMOVAL

The Spirit Of June 12 Manifested In University Of Uyo Yesterday When Peaceful Demonstration
By Engineering And Science Students Turn Into A Riot

Engineering students of University of Uyo (Uniuyo) went for a peaceful demonstration at the office of the Vice Chancellor in other to address issues about the sudden changes made by the Vice Chancellor concerning their transportation from the school town Campus to Permanent Site.

The Vice Chancellor decided that students who want to board the school bus from Town campus to Permanent site for lectures had to pay N200 daily before using the school bus that was free. Some complained that the registration fee for General studies courses generally known as GST was increase from N500 to N2000.
  They led a peaceful demonstration to the V.C's Office to lay their complains about the sudden change. On reaching there the security officials at the Vice Chancellor’s office tried to stop the students from gaining access to the office, the students therefore retaliated by throwing stones at the security officials and blocked Ikot Ekpene road.
The security officials had no option but to call for back-up which led to the riot. In the violent confrontation, the police said to have move in with more than 15 Hilux vans fully loaded with armed police opened fired and tear gas on the students which result in the death of the three innocent students; one has been identified as Kingsley a 200 level student of the department of zoology.

While some others, mostly asthmatic students were rendered unconscious.

The students on the other hand destroyed school properties, set the office of the V.C, the school main gate and a hostel on fire. The rampage went on for hours. The school has been closed down till further notice.

Some of the students who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE said they were not comfortable with some of polices being implementation in the school.

Jimoh Monday a 200 level Agricultural engineering told CAMPUSLIFE “that the police who were supposed to calm the situation were the people shooting students”.

“We were not armed but the police came with all sorts of ammunition in a peaceful protest embark by the students,” Victor Albert a final year Engineering student told CAMPUSLIFE.

Esther Moses a 300 level chemical Engineering student lamented the increase in transportation fare which he said was not on the notice of the students.

A vibrant student from faculty of science who plead anonymity said “we resumes for second semester only to meet our faculty lecture venue been moved to the University's permanent site. The Chief Security Officer (CSO), Col. Nyong (rted), who was chased out from the campus, admitted that school management brought in a private consultant to handle student transport fare from the town campus to the permanent site but at the rate of N100.

Management staff were said to have escaped through various routes ostensibly to avoid been attacked by the protesting students, and all effort to reach the vice chancellor Prof Mrs. Comfort Ekpo for interview proves abortive. Meanwhile the school has been shut down indefinitely.