The Management of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State, on Tuesday announced an indefinite closure of the institution .
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe , in a statement said ,the decision to close the institution and suspend all academic activities is to prevent hoodlums from hiding under students protests to destroy lives and property of innocent people. Spates of students protest which kick-started on Monday February 5, 2024, continued unabated on Tuesday February 6. The students were protesting against the “No – fees- no exams policy” put in place by the university authorities.
The protest march, which was on Monday restricted to the University Campus, however, saw the students block the ever busy Ikot Ekpene/ Umuahia road on Tuesday, and resulted in a heavy traffic grid lock. The students who began their semester examination on Monday, were also protesting an increase in school fees , as well as the general harsh economic situation in the country.
However, the immediate cause of the protests, which entered its second day on Tuesday ,is the Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe led management’s insistence on implementing its earlier no fees- no exams policy, despite students appeal for a period of grace .
Some students who volunteered comments said that owing to the current difficult situation, they (students) had appealed to the University authorities to allow them sit for examination, while continuing to make efforts to pay ,before the end of the examination period.According to them ,they decided to take to the streets following the decision of the university Vice Chancellor to personally supervise the eviction of students from examination halls for non- payments of school fees.
Some of the protesting students, also said students are equally not happy with an increase in the school fees, adding that the students were not consulted by the authorities before effecting the increase.
The students were protesting against the “No – fees- no exams policy” put in place by the university authorities.
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