Medical students of the University of Benin, on Tuesday, took to the streets to protest what they described as unfair treatment on the part of the management, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV reports that no fewer than 50 students, barricaded the main gate leading to the Ugbowo main campus of the school, disrupting non-academic activities temporarily.
Our correspondent learned that the students were protesting lack of electricity, security and pipe-borne water in the university’s main campus.
The protesters were armed with placards, some of which read, ‘Transformer down for four weeks, no light’, ‘Fix our light, exam in darkness, no water’, ‘Medical hostel is now a forest’, ‘Security challenges in NDDC hostel’.
Speaking with our correspondent, one of the protesting students said they have been in darkness for weeks and have no good water on campus.
According to her, the medical students are currently writing their professional exams and lack electricity to study.
She alleged that some of her colleagues walk miles to surrounding neighbourhood just to get water and charge phones, adding “security is also an issue.”
A medical student, who gave his name as ‘Dr. Jay’, said grasses have taken over their hostels, alleging that they now share walkways with snakes and reptiles.
Efforts to obtain comments from the university’s spokesman, Mr. Michael Osasuyi, were unsuccessful.
But an official of the Students’ Union Government who confirmed the development, said efforts were on ground to resolve the issues.
The official who craved anonymity, added that the Union and the Student Affair Department were already on top of the matter.
Similarly, a Facebook post by the immediate past Union President, Ogbidi Osemudiamen, collaborated the report.
“Kudos UniBen students. If Ugbowo is like this, what is the the fate of Ekehuan campus?. #NoLight, #NoWater, #NoSecurity”, he wrote.
Ekehuan is the second and mini campus of the University of Benin. The campus, located along Ekehuan road, currently hosts the Mass Communication department, Theatre and Applied Arts, among others.
