No light, no lectures: UNEC students damage cars, buildings

Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enug

Students of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, went on a rampage on Tuesday, damaging cars, buildings and other properties on campus due to poor power supply at the institution.

Lectures have been suspended in the university since June 6 after the Student Union Government declared that students would no longer attend classes until the school authorities resolve the power supply challenges.

The students, who locked up the lecture halls, held rallies to protest against the situation on Monday but the situation degenerated in the night, giving way to violence.

Our correspondent learnt that there is hardly any power supply from the national grid in the hostels, while the generators provided by the school management currently supply power for just two hours each day.

When our correspondent visited the school on Tuesday, policemen were seen at strategic locations on the campus.

There was extensive damage to buildings in different parts of the campus – particularly the main hall and library.

Glass windows in the buildings were smashed, while some of the doors were forced open. The security office was also vandalised.

The female hostels and staff quarters were also affected with some some street lights and other infrastructure on campus also damaged by the rampaging students.

Our correspondent observed that the students, many of who wore masks, also vandalised some vehicles in the process.

The Public Relations Officer, UNEC, Mr. Gabriel Onah, informed our correspondent that about 12 vehicles belonging to the school were damaged.

No arrest has been recorded as of the time our correspondent visited the campus.

Officials of the SUG declined to comment on the incident, but some students, who did not wish to be named, explained that the management of the school refused to listen to their complaints.

They said that the power supply situation worsened drastically just before the students decided to take matters into their own hands.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor, UNEC, Prof. Smart Ajaegbu, said the management had assured the students  that it would address their grievances.

Ajegbu, who linked the poor power supply in the institution to ‘general poor power supply situation in the country’, said an 800Kv generator used by the institution had broken down, leaving it with a 500kv generator, which was not sufficient.

from Punch Newspapers http://ift.tt/1Uie57N