UNIUYO RIOT: CLO PRESS RELEASE The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) Akwa Ibom State Branch hereby condemns in totality, the inability of management of the institution to manage the brewing crisis that snowballed into a massive social inferno that is alleged to have consumed the lives of four students of the institution on Wednesday, June 12, 2012. No provocation whatsoever warrants the taking of life of any individual in Nigeria in line with Section 33 of Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended. Other sections of the Constitution as well as other statutes and international instruments, were overtly violated, when the police was invited ostensibly, by management of the institution, to quell what was seen as a peaceful protest. It is on record that the issues that precipitated the protest of June 12, 2013 in the University of Uyo started long before the violence of this fateful day. Our investigations showed that there had been issues like:- i. Science students who were relocated to the permanent site of the university, were directed to pay N200 daily while Engineering students pay N1, 000 per semester as transport fare. ii. Increase of GST fees from N500 to N2,000 iii. Proscription of Summer Programmes iv. No freedom of association or democratization of the unions from departments through faculties and the students’ union government levels. The above are amongst the reasons adduced for the protest. It is the view of the CLO that this is an internal dispute which should have been handled by management of the university. A democratic union of the students would have stepped in to assuage the anger and get the demands of the students to a reasonable management. There is no justification whatsoever in bringing the police into the matter at the stage when the police came. We hold management accountable for this carnage. We are very sure that the police did not step into this matter on their own. The police we believe strongly, had a duty to perform, even when they were invited, but nothing within their schedule of duties authorized them to shoot to kill any student. The act of killing a student while protesting without violence, trying to draw attention to their grievances, is the most despicable act which is unconscionable, barbaric and totally unconstitutional. The number of the dead still remains unconfirmed. But there is confirmation that a certain UBONG UDOETTE, a 200-level Zoology student was shot and died of the gun-shot injuries. Three other students are said to have died; two of asthma-related suffocation due to the inhalation of tear-gas fired by the police in all direction to possibly disperse the students. Police invaded the entire place, including female hostels while firing live bullets into students’ gathering. The senseless killing and destruction of lives and property is appalling. Torching some of the few infrastructures of the university, is condemnable, and is likely to drag the university back by several years and the consequences may not only affect the students as direct victims, but even those not directly related to the university community. It is also sad to note that five other student leaders including the Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) died in a ghastly motor accident on their way to Uyo, to mediate in the University of Uyo. The casualties are greater than the numbers directly affected by the incident. Nigerians are the ultimate victims of this crisis. In view of the foregoing, the Civil Liberties Organization demand the following from the authorities: 1. A full inquest into the entire saga; 2. Cause the release of the arrested persons; 3. Ensure that the demands of the students which led to this crisis be addressed appropriately; 4. Reappraise the security apparatus of the institution, and ensure that communication between the institution and the police is strengthened. We hope that a stitch in time will save nine. (signed) 13th June, 2013 Clifford Thomas State Chairman of CLO, Akwa Ibom State
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:21:22 +0000
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