University of Port Harcourt shut down. As peaceful protest claims 3 lives.

Following the students’ protest that rocked the University of PortHarcourt (UNIPORT) in the Rivers State, the university senate has shut down the school for the next one month with immediate effect.

In a statement by Deputy Registrar in Charge of Information, William Wodi, all students are to vacate their hostel accommodation before 6: 00 pm on Monday.

According to him, students’ union and their affiliate bodies have also been suspended till further notice.

There was commotion on Monday in Port Harcourt, as students of the University of Port Harcourt protested hike in school fees.

The protest which started off as a peaceful one later turned violent when the Vice Chancellor brought men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police to disperse the protesting students.

The action proved to be counter productive and led to the killing of at least three students, one of them being the President of the Faculty of Sciences, Comr. Peter. Who was a final year student.

Sources revealed that angry students carried the bodies of their dead colleagues and marched to the office of AIT in Ozuoba close to the school. But they were intercepted by men SARS who arrested over 20 of the protesting student. Their whereabouts are still unknown.

Recall that thousands of the aggrieved students protested against the unjustified increase in tuition and other charges.

They laid siege on the school premises, blocking the Choba end of East-West Road in the Rivers State capital and stopping any academic activities from taking place in the university.

According to them, the school authorities have been insensitive to their plight and vowed to intensify their protests until the management of the school responds to their demands.


The memorandum signed by the Registrar, Mrs. Dorcas Otto reads:

UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT
PORT HARCOURT 

MEMORANDUM
From: Registrar
Ref: UPH/REG/189
Date: 11th April, 2016 To: All Students
(Undergraduate and Graduate Students) 

CLOSURE OF THE UNIVERSITY 

The University Senate at its 418th Meeting (Emergency) held on Monday, 11th April, 2016, deliberated extensively on the violent demonstration by the students and the resultant disruption of the First Semester Examinations of the 2015/2016 Session.
Senate therefore resolved to close down the University with immediate effect. To this end, all students are to vacate the University campus immediately. No student is expected to be found in the University premises beyond 6.00pm today, Monday, 11th April, 2016.
Thank you.

Mrs. Dorcas D. Otto.