Some staff of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU, Abia State have narrated their sordid experience during Tuesday’s riot by students of the institution who were protesting the increase in their tuition.
Although the school management claimed the protest was hijacked by miscreants, some staff alleged that they escaped the rage of the mob through a bush path behind the school premises.
Speaking to OsunDailyNG, on Wednesday, a staff, Igwe Azubuike Chizoba and a lecturer, Mrs Ngozi Olundu, said they abandoned their offices and escaped through the bush towards Olokoro community, behind the school, to avoid being assaulted by the angry crowd of students.
Mrs Olundu added that her colleagues in the office were beaten mercilessly by the mob, soon after she had fled.
Olundu narrated, “When I heard that the Vice Chancellor’s vehicle had been barricaded and destructions were going on around the school, I quickly abandoned my office and ran towards the bush part from where I entered Olokoro before finding myself in Oboro, Ikwuano LGA “.
Also, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of MOUAU, Patrick Opara on Tuesday, told OsunDailyNG that he was evacuated from the school while the “miscreants” were destroying school property.
When our correspondent walked around Michael Okpara University on Wednesday morning, the school environment was littered with debris of destroyed property.
Among the property damaged were the largest examination hall called Three Hall which was set ablaze.
Also damaged were the road median, Students Union Government, SUG, office, electric poles, school chairs, library building, school field, part of the Access bank building, and school vehicles.
Stern-looking policemen were, however, stationed in front of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe’s office and in front of two banks in the University, on Wednesday.
A senior staff of the school told OsunDailyNG that the school is still taking stock of the level of destruction carried out by the students.
However, the University management while shutting down the school on Tuesday, insisted that those who carried out the riot were not genuine students of the University but “miscreants”, who it said, disrupted an ongoing peaceful examination.
