The Academic Staff Union of Universities, the University of Benin branch, said on Monday that its members may not resume academic activities on April 28 due to attacks on lecturers and management staff by students of the institution.

The ASUU leadership also noted that it is a constraint to embark on teaching and research in an environment in which lecturers are prime targets for brutalisation or elimination by some students who are labouring to impact the wealth of their intellectual property following the attack on their members.

The ASUU position is coming on the heels of the attempted murder of Dr Presley Osemwengie, a lecturer in the Department of Economics and member of the University of Benin Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, by some members of the Executive Committee of the University of Benin Students Union when Labour candidate Olumide Akpata came to the school on April 12 for an interactive session.

A statement signed by the Chairman and the Secretary, UNIBEN ASUU, Ray Chikogu, and Success Abusomwan and made available to journalists in Benin said Dr Osemwengie was attacked, hit in the back of his head with a small axe and left for dead in the pool of his blood by some of those in the company of the Students Union President.

The statement reads in part, “We are constrained to issue this statement based on the spate of violence and general atmosphere of insecurity that has permeated the Ugbowo campus of the University of Benin of
late.

“This culminated in the attempted murder of Dr Presley Osemwengie, a lecturer in the Department of Economics and member of the University of Benin Branch of ASUU, by some members of the Executive Committee of the University of Benin Students Union led by their President and some ex- as well as non-students of the University on Friday the 12th of April, 2024.

“On that fateful day, the President of the Students Union of the University of Benin marched upon a gathering of staff of the University and their invited guests, ordering them to discontinue their interaction as he was not pre-informed and, consequently, did not grant permission for the interaction to be held.

“In the resulting melee, Dr Osemwengie was attacked, hit in the back of his head with a small axe, and left for dead in the pool of his own blood by some of those in the company of the students union president.

“It is necessary to note that this worrisome trend began with the assault by both students and non-students of the university on the person of the current Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin in September 2021 when she was humiliated and marched from her residence to the Main Gate of the University in very hostile circumstances.

“Other similar and very unsavoury incidents in which students of the University of Benin have threatened and brutalized lecturers have also been reported at different times. This cannot continue.

“We wish to state now that it is impossible for our members to hereafter dispose themselves to any teaching and research in an environment in which they are prime targets for brutalisation or elimination by some of the students they are labouring to impact with the wealth of their intellectual property. So, it is incumbent on the administration of the University of Benin to provide adequate security for the university staff and create an atmosphere conducive to effective teaching and learning on our campuses.

“To the end that our members will feel safe to conduct their business of research, teaching, and supervision going forward from the 28th of April 2024 (being the date of resumption for the next academic session) therefore, and without prejudice to the work of the Committee set up by the University Administration to investigate the incident at stake, we state as follows as encapsulated in the resolutions of the meeting of the Congress of ASUU UNIBEN on Thursday the 18th of April, 2024.”

“Our Union condemns, in very strong terms, the rebellious and terrorising acts of brigandage being carried out by our students both as individuals and under the cover of student unionism in their entirety,” Chikogu said.

The management of Plateau State University (PLASU) in Bokkos has ordered the immediate closure of the institution following attacks by gunmen.

Gunmen attacked Chikam, a community close to the university where a 200-level student of the institution was killed.

At least 12 people in the Tilengpat community of Pushit district in Mangu LGA were also killed in an attack on Thursday night.

In a statement on Friday, the school’s authority confirmed the death of Dading James Jordan, a student from the department of computer science.

The statement also condemned the attack on the community while consoling the family of the late student.

The varsity declared a two-day mourning period for Jordan while suspending its ongoing examination.

“The Plateau State University Community woke up to the sad news of another heartless attack on Chikam, a community close to the university,” the statement reads in part.

“The sad event led to the loss of a 200 level, computer science student of the University residing in Chikam, by name Dading James Jordan.

“This is coming despite the relentless effort by the Plateau State government, security agencies, the Management of the University and other stakeholders to improve the security situation on our campus and the surrounding communities.

“Unfortunately, the enemies of the University and the state brought this dastardly attack leading to the loss of our dear student.

“The Vice-Chancellor and the entire management convey their condolences to the family of the deceased, the student body and the university community.

“In view of this sad development, Management has declared a two-day mourning period on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th April, 2024. Accordingly, all the examinations earlier scheduled for Friday 19th and Saturday 20th April 2024 are hereby suspended.

“While calling on our students to remain calm and law-abiding, we wish to call on the security agencies to beef up security around the university in order to secure staff and students as we look into other ways of making the University more secure.”

In a follow-up statement, the management announced that PLASU will be shut down for 10 days for security reasons.

“Following the sad incident that occurred in Plateau State University, Bokkos and the surrounding communities on Friday, 19th April, 2024; and in view of the psychological effect of the unfortunate incident on students and staff of the University, Management has taken the painful decision to close the University for ten (10) days with effect from today, 19th April, 2024,” it reads.

“This decision is to allow the security situation to improve and to lessen the human risk on the University Community. Accordingly, the ongoing first semester examinations are hereby suspended to resume on Thursday, 2nd May, 2024.

“Furthermore, Management has made available buses to convey students who may be stranded from the University to Barkin Ladi, today, Friday 19th April, 2024.”

Following the commencement of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination on Friday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has appealed to candidates who experienced glitches in the course of the examination to remain calm as they would be rescheduled.

The JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyode, who made the appeal while fielding questions from newsmen after monitoring the exam in Kogo-Bwari, Abuja, said so far, the UTME had been going on smoothly as only one centre had been reported to have encountered issues.

“We appeal to the public to understand this. Some centres will fail. I have heard of only one centre that has failed today.

“By the end of today, I expect about 10 per cent of the centres to have one problem or the other because we know the level of development in different parts of the country.

“We are not encouraging this, but when it happens, please do not disrupt others. It is important to note that when a session fails because of a problem, you cannot bring those candidates to do session two, they will have to step aside, and the headquarters will have to be contacted.

“The earliest time they can be scheduled will be after 4:30 p.m. so that those slated for sections two and three can write, and these candidates can now write for session four, and in some cases, they can even be scheduled for the following day,” he said.

Speaking further, the JAMB boss said the exam body is not comfortable with the award of scholarships to UTME best-performing candidates on the basis of the exam alone, as that would not capture other criteria that are factored in for admission.

“Yes, MTN and other people are giving scholarships to the highest (scorers) but we have always discouraged them because you scored high in UTME doesn’t mean you are the best because some other factors will come in; the quality of your O Level will be added to it, post-UTME scores will be added to it. If you are going to NDA, your physical exercise will be added to it before we can say that you are the best; before we rank you, why rank people prematurely?

“You will see somebody saying my son scored 330, and in addition to that, he had seven A1s. Is he not qualified? He might be qualified when you are ranking people in your village; when it comes to Nigeria, he may be 650 despite the so-called brilliant to you,” he said.

The 2024 UTME is being held across the country today and will continue tomorrow.