 |
| Bowen University Iwo. |
Property worth N50 million were damaged during the face-off between students of Bowen University, Iwo, on Wednesday, March 19, 2014. The students protested against power outage and lack of water supply in one of the new hostels in the school and increase in tuition fees.
No fewer than 20 vehicles were damaged by the students as they razed down buildings, smashed cars and caused mayhem all over the university campus.
Bowen University,Iwo,was thrown into a state of chaos when its students at around 8pm on
Wednesday 2nd April, went on a riot rampage.The riot was said to have been as a result of an
accumulation of events.On the night of the riot,their was a power failure which led to an angry protest because the students could not watch a Champions League match.This along with the frustrations of students having had to go on the morning of the riot on an ‘adventure’ to search for water. Many students got back to the hostel with empty buckets, those that found water protected it. The absence of light added pepper to our injuries as students wondered whether the expensive school fees did not cover electricity supply. Some students were even found using torch to read in the library and this made me ask myself what century we were actually in.” The riot was brought under control around 10.30pm, and some students continued the protest the following day when they found out that some students who looted shops had been arrested by the police.Wednesday 2nd April, went on a riot rampage.The riot was said to have been as a result of an
The VC noted that power supply to Iwo town had been irregular since the rainstorm of March 12, saying the university had been supplying electricity through generator and it had sunk 29 boreholes to supply water to the campus.
The outrage started in John Hall where some gadgets including an iPad, a Blackberry z10 and some laptops got spoilt at around 7:30pm by the fluctuating power supply. This pushed the students of John Hall over the edge as they started throwing louvre blades, destroying dustbins, breaking doors, attacking the porters, among other things. Just as we thought it was about to end, the other halls, Luke, Mark and Matthew, became possessed with the spirit of violence.
The outrage continued as the angry students attacked security guards, set their motorcycles on fire, vandalized the school complexes as they went on smashing windows. The peak of it all was when the angry boys decided to progress towards the main campus. They tied black cloth around their heads and were bare-chested with sticks with which they used to show their aggression. They ran steadily toward the main campus where the main female hostels are and at that point, the few students that watched the drama began to pray.
They entered the female hostels but only damaged the hostel louvres, among other things. Some female students also joined in the protest. Laosebikan Hall (known as LAS), AGA, courtesy unit office and the Administration block were not left touched. A fire was started right in front of the female complex.
It is estimated that property worth N50M was damaged and 50 students of the University would face a panel regarding the riot.The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mathews Ojo, stated this on Wednesday, March 25, 2014. He said the panel, which would include two representatives of the students, was headed by the Dean of Science, Prof. Samuel Ilori.
source Encomiun Magazine