University of Ibadan: students staying put on campus, despite go-home order

GBENRO ADESINA/IBADAN

University of Ibadan students are still staying on campus, despite the order by the authorities that they should go home.

The university gave the go-home order following a protest by the students over the rustication of a 500 level student of the Department of Petroleum Engineering, Tunji Epeti Michael.

The deadline to leave the campus expired at 4pm on Tuesday.

Instead of going  home, the students as early as 7am today,  barricaded entrances into the premier university locking all the gates including the pedestrian gates,  preventing movements in  and out of the school. 

Some of the students who had packed their luggage and wanted to go home were prevented from doing so by some other  students who blocked entrances to  halls of residence.

In a statement released by the school yesterday, the  registrar, Mr. O.I. Olukoya alleged that some students of the institution, in cahoot with students from nearby institutions were determined to disturb peace and tranquillity on the campus and also to destroy lives and property.

 “It is evident from the events of Monday, 25 and Tuesday, 26 April, 2016 that some students of the University of Ibadan, and persons who claimed to be members of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South West Zone from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan, Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation, Ibadan and Federal School of Statistics, Ibadan, are determined not only to disturb the much cherished peace and tranquillity on campus, but to threaten the lives and property of the entire University community.

“These elements are operating dangerously by the heavy masks most of them are wearing, thereby threatening the peace and security of innocent students who are law abiding and staff at their various places of work.

“Majority of these persons have been going round the campus to disrupt classes and assaulting students and lecturers from their classes and offices. Fresh in the memory are the disruptions and vandalism at the Departments of Anatomy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Physics, Archaeology and Anthropology, to mention just a few. It has been gathered that these persons are going under the fathom claim of a one semester rustication of a student who ordinarily should have been expelled for gross misconduct, as well as power outages and inadequate provision of water, which the University Management is working round the clock to address.

“Based on the foregoing, and the need to protect the cherished lives and property on campus, University Management has decided, after wide consultation, that all students are to proceed on break until further notice.

“Consequently, all students are to vacate their respective Halls of Residence and classes on or before 4.00 pm. today, Tuesday, 26 April, 2016.

“Any student found in the Libraries, Halls of Residence or classes stands the risk of outright expulsion”.