On Tuesday, what would have been a peaceful protest for students of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, morphed into chaos.

Students of the university had set out to protest against the increment of school fees by the university management and also plead with the university management to allow them to pay their school fees twice a session.

According to the students of the university, the current school fees are high and unaffordable for many due to the current economic situation in the country. Many students are of the opinion that the decision of the university management is unfair and unjust.

FIJ learned that on the day before the protest, the university’s vice chancellor disrupted examinations that were ongoing. A source told FIJ that some students who had not paid their school fees for the session were driven out of examination halls.

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‘THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME‘

FIJ also learned that the school has increased fess twice in the last two years.

“The first increment was done in December 2022, while the second was in September 2023,” said a student of the school.

“This school is causing a lot of things for students. They are not trying for us. You are increasing our school fees, which is fine and good. At least allow students to pay their school fees in the first and second semesters,” Adanna (not real name) told FIJ.

“Now, I am paying over N100,000. For what? When I am not attending a state university. Federal universities are now dragging shoulders with state universities.

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“Most of my coursemates are funding themselves through school. Most of us are not lucky enough to have parents who pay our school fees.”

Another student told FIJ that students were begging the vice chancellor to allow them to pay half their fees to enable them to sit for exams but all pleas fell on deaf ears.

In addition to this, FIJ also learned that the students have been pleading with the university management to allow them to pay their school fees in installments since the beginning of the semester.

“The vice chancellor introduced a biometric system that will help in knowing students who have paid and those defaulting. It helped the invigilators know students who had paid their school fees,” another student, who pleaded anonymity, told FIJ.

A PROTEST GONE WRONG

Unhappy with the increment and the disruption of examinations, the students stormed the streets to express their grievances, but this ended when policemen showed up at the scene of the protest.

A source told FIJ that some students were beaten up by security men during the protest. “Two of my coursemates were beaten up yesterday and carried by school security just because they went to voice out. We are suffering in this school,” said the source, who wants to be anonymous.

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FIJ learned that school properties were destroyed and tear gas was released to disperse the crowd. As of press time, FIJ cannot ascertain if any student was injured.

UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT REACTS

Following the protests, the university management has shut down the school and suspended academic activities indefinitely.

In a circular released by the university management dated February 6, 2024, the students were notified of an indefinite shutdown of the university and suspension of academic activities.

“To safeguard life and property on campus, the university management has, on behalf of the Senate, ordered an indefinite down the University indefinitely. All students are advised to vacate the University premises immediately, but not later than 5.00pm on Tuesday 6th February 2024,” the circular read.

The students of the university are scared that this suspension of academic activities will not be over anytime soon.

“I don’t think the school did the right thing by shutting down the university indefinitely because we can no longer continue with our exams, but it is fine because we can not be writing exams while some of our mates who are yet to pay their school fees are not allowed into the exam hall,” a student told FIJ.