BEVERLY HILLS, April 05, (THEWILL) – Rights Group, the Committee for the Defence of Human Right (CDHR) has asked the authorities of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Edo State Government to reverse the dissolution of the school’s Students’ Union Government (SUG).
THEWILL reported that the University of Benin authorities, had last week suspended the Students’ Union executive of the institution and installed a Caretaker Committee in its place.
But the CDHR in a statement signed by its National President, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, demanded the suspension to be reversed, noting that the action was a mark of high-handedness on the part of the authorities to have done what they did.
The statement titled: ‘Before They Shoot The Students,” raised the alarm that by the turn of events, the unavoidable killings of an Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) student, which led to the strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) 35 years ago, might repeat itself.
It also wondered why the school authorities would want to reenact the “sordid” extreme of Nigerian national life after 35 years, advising the university to toe the path of peace and dialogue with the students rather than the path of high-handedness.
In dissolving the students’ union, a statement by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the institution, Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, had said the school Senate took the action to forestall a breakdown of law and order following a planned protest by the SUG in reaction to the shift in the school’s academic calendar.
“The students’ union had persistently engaged in subversive activities, including incitement of other students to disobey lawful instructions by the school authorities.
“This is in spite of concerted efforts by the management led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, to provide their basic needs of water and electricity, as well as enhanced infrastructure for learning.
“Consequently, the account of the students’ union has been suspended and their secretariat sealed. All members of the erstwhile union executives are to hand over their students’ union identity cards to the Chief Security Officer of the university immediately.
“They are also to vacate the privileged hostel accommodations accorded them by 6 p.m. March 30, 2021″, the statement added.
Dr. Ehanire further commended majority of the students who she said had resisted attempts by the union executives to drag them into unwarranted agitations.
“The Senate wishes the students the best in their on-going examinations and a restful break from April 1, 2021, until their return to campus for the second semester on April 18, 2021″, she said.
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