Authorities of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) have banned social events on the campus.
According to a report, social events were banned because of the recent assassination of a final year student of the Department of Nursing, popularly known as Alfilsonado, by suspected cultists within the school premises.
commotion broke out at the Ugbowo Campus of the university on Friday (8th November 2019), sending students and lecturers scampering for safety.
According to CAMPUSLIFE the deceased, who was heading for a carnival organized by students in Social Sciences, was shot on the neck at close range from behind by some students.
CAMPUSLIFE revealed that the assailant had driven into the school campus in a tinted glass vehicle and hid at the car park where they ambushed the deceased before eliminating him. Though the victim’s first name was Moses, friends and admirers knew him by his nickname. Until his death, he was a teacher of the English Language at two tutorial centers within UNIBEN premises. Rumors making the rounds indicated that the victim might have been shot dead by a rival cult group that has been terrorizing the institution for some time. “Initially, the young man was rushed to the University Health Centre, he was quickly referred to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) because of his severe state. It was at the hospital that Alfilonade was declared dead,” an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity told CAMPUSLIFE. He continued: “The victim, who apparently appeared gentle-looking was shot at the back of his neck as he was heading for the jeans-party carnival organized for Social Science students. The incidence itself happened close to where the Faculty of Arts students were having their welcome party. “While the university security officers were able to bring the stampede caused by the incidence under control, the assailants cashed in on the commotion to escape.” Other students who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, however, condemned the incidence, calling on the school authorities to beef up security to ward off future occurrence. “We are aware that, for some years, the incidence of cultism has not been heard in the school. How and why this would occur is what we do not know,” said another student. “Beyond that, however, I think it is time a police post was built on campus to help checkmate the incidence of cultism.
To me what has just happened is a terrible incidence and we hope such would not happen again,” he added. The spokesperson of the university, Michael Osasuyi, confirmed that the deceased was shot dead by a rival cult group. According to him, social activities have been suspended on the campus; while security measures have been put in place to ensure that there is no reprisal attack. Meanwhile, students of the Ugbowo campus of the university embarked on a protest at the weekend, over what they described as the inability of the university authority to make water and electricity available in the institution.
The students, who blocked the Lagos-Benin Highway, also carried placards calling on the management to heed their demands. Some of the students, who spoke to CAMPUS, lamented that they had been going through challenges owing to the dearth of the facilities. One of the protesters, who gave his name as Henry, said: “A situation where you live on the campus and yet you cannot access water or electricity is unacceptable. “We have suffered enough and it is time we made our feelings felt. That is why we have decided to embark on this protest. There is no water in the school, just as electricity is not there. The generating set is hardly powered. “We want the school authorities to address our plight and bring our suffering to an end,” the student said.
Source: Newspoint