No fewer than 15 students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), in Imo, were arrested following violent protests in the institution on Friday.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mr Andrew Enwerem, who confirmed the arrest in Owerri on Monday,told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the students were arrested for vandalism and looting of the university property.

Enwerem said that the students would be charged to court when investigations into the incident had been concluded.

He dismissed claims by the students that the protest turned violent when policemen allegedly fired teargas at them.

He said the police intervened at the instance of the school management when the protest degenerated into violence.

NAN reports that the students embarked on the protest over alleged increase in their school fees.

The university facilities were damaged by the protesting students who also made away with some valuables.

One of them, Chinedu Nwakuche, alleged that the university increased fees for first year students from N48, 000 to N54, 000 per session while second and third year fees increased from N32, 000 to N49,000.

According to him, fees for students of fourth and final years also went up from N28, 000 to 39,000, while acceptance fees has gone up to N45,000 from N25,000.

Nwakuche said that students now paid as much as N1,500 to register a course every semester.

The Public Relations Officer of FUTO, Mr Chike Ezenwa, said the management of the university would comment after determining the extent of the damages.(NAN)
UOI/MNA/AMY