3rd February, 2023
By Jethro Ibileke
The clash between some angry student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and a lone soldier on Thursday at an ATM queue inside the institution’s Ugbowo campus took a twist on Friday, as over 30 military operatives allegedly invade the school and destroyed about 34 vehicles.
Recall that the hapless soldier who was in his combatant uniform was shoved, kicked and stomped over by students who forced him to lie on the ground for allegedly attempting to jump the ATM the queue.
In an online video that went viral, the students could be heard shouting obscenities as they kicked him.
The University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, in a statement she personally signed Thursday evening, called for calm while efforts were being made to avert a re-occurrence.
“The unfortunate incident of clash between some students of our University and soldiers on Thursday, 2nd February, resulting from alleged resistance of students to the soldiers attempt to jump ATM queues on campus has been brought under control and the Management of the University is in discussions with the hierarchy of the S & T for amicable resolution.
“The Management also calls on the students to constantly engage dialogue in resolving issues that that concern them rather than taking to protests, at any provocation, thereby causing more injury and damage to themselves and other citizens,” Salami had said.
The situation was however far from being under control, as soldiers allegedly returned at midnight for a reprisal attack at the institution.
A staff of UNIBEN who did not want to be named, posted on his WhatsApp status some of the vandalised vehicles.
He, however, got lucky as his vehicle was miraculously spared from attack.
The WhatsApp post titled “A miracle working God! That is who He is”, reads: “Several cars were parked close to the school gate last night because of the students’ fracas with military Men who tried to jump the money queue at Bank Avenue inside UNIBEN. Yours truly also parked her car there last night and trekked home.
“At about 12 midnight, the military came for a reprisal attack. They destroyed about 34 cars: front windscreen, back windscreen, even windos
All the cars around mine were destroyed! My God covered their eyes and not one of the over 30 military Men that came for the reprisal attack saw my car.
“Amongst vehicles destroyed were a Toyota Corolla, belonging to the University, marked UNIBEN 50U 198 FG; a metallic coloured Toyota Camry marked Edo Ben 44 EA.
Responding to inquiry from our correspondent, UNIBEN spokesperson, Dr Benedicta Ehanire, simply sent the VC’s statement of Thursday as her response.
When contacted on phone, the Army PRO of S & T, Captain Yemi Sokoya, made a tacit denial of the incident.
“I don’t know anything about that, soldiers did not attack any vehicles,” he said.