The Academic Staff Union of Universities, the University of Benin branch, has threatened to not to 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 they 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.
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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 student’s 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 LP governorship candidate, who was a guest at an interactive session organised by the University of Benin Staff Club, was violently interrupted during the event, which caused a crisis within the school premises.
Following the incident, Akpata accused a senior state government official of masterminding the attack on him at the University of Benin.
In a viral video released Akpata said a senior lecturer who sustained injury as a result of the attack is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Benin
