In a swift move to curb the menace, the university authorities through the office of Dean Students Affairs challenged the Students to report any case of intimidation and harassment by the institution's security personnel popularly known as anti cult. According to the Dean of students, any student with such case should simply report by writing to the university's Vice Chancellor Prof. Joseph Ahaneku through the office of Dean of Students. The dean further vowed to ensure that any defaulting security personnel (anti cult) faces the consequences of his or her action.
He briefed them on a case that was written to his office few months ago by The Students' Rights Council under the Judiciary arm of SUG headed by Hon Nnaemeka Obiegbunam and Hon Ezeogbuefi Martin of veritas chamber law faculty. He said that the case was that of Dike Kelechi which happened on the eve of easter, Kelechi was beaten up and brutally wounded in his two arms by security officer to the extent that his body was used to shatter the entrance door of law faculty that almost cost him his two hands, he said that immediately the report was referred by the SUG President Ibe Chukwunonso to the Judiciary headed by the Chief Judge I.A Muoneme and SUG Speaker Chekwube Okigbo, the Chief Judge and the speaker refered the matter to Students' Rights Council, Hon Ezeogbuefi Martin have to write and follow the case viciously, the Dean said that those security officers that molested Kelechi Dike gave contradictory statements, first that Kelechi was a Boko Haram Suspect and secondly was that he was having a sexual intercouse with a girl.
The Dean said that the university have already suspended the security officers involved and have referred the matter to the disciplinary panel and if they are found guilty of the offence they will be expelled from the university. So he charged the Union and Students not to be afraid and urged to report immediately such a thing happens to them especially when a student calls anti cult for another student over a civil misunderstanding that can simply be reported to the union's judiciary or security office in charge of cases headed by Mr Otika. He further said that the university will no longer fold their hands and watch students being treated like animals. Hon Dominic thanked the Dean on behalf of the Union and promised him that henceforth the students will be writing to his office and reporting to the Judiciary when ever such rascality comes up. They left and proceeded to the office of ASUU chairman Dr Dennis Aribodo.
On reaching to the office of ASUU chairman, they narrated to him the reason why they came, he thanked the SUG especially the Judiciary for a wonderful job they have been doing and also for stabilising the system. He also thanked the students for making sure they did not take laws into their hands, he was quite happy that they followed the civil way of protesting against such barbaric act and reinstate that ASUU under his watch will not fold it's hand and Anti-cult that was set up to protect the security of life and property of students will turn to hunt the people they suppose to protect. He vowed to make sure that such nonsense stoped. He also promised that ASUU will establish a good working relationship with the SUG which they have started already through the SUG struggle on hostel increment. He said that it was because of such that ASUU doing their last meeting, set up a committee on students affairs headed by Dr Godson Okafor as the ASUU liaison officer on students affairs. He reminded them that when he was the university SUG President and Speaker about 20 years ago, he fought against harassment and intimidation of students and that he is good in aluta struggle. According to him, as ASUU leader, he will ensure that they protect the students. He went further to say that the SUG President or the IPF should write to the Landlords and caretakers for a meeting on increments of students hostel rents, and by God's grace, he will be in the meeting for a dialogue between the SUG, the landlords and caretakers. He also charged them to inform the students to write to his office without fear anytime they are harassed or assaulted by anti-cult because ASUU will not take such matter softly. He said that no SUG or hostel President leader should fear anytime any threat if issued by any of those bad eggs in anti-cult because as far as ASUU is concerned they are well protected till they graduate. After the visit they thanked the ASUU Chairman and promised him that students will now start writing when such thing happens again.
The latest university authorities stand was catalysed by the reported case of the brutal beating up of Ezebuilo hostel President and his brother by a school security officer (name withheld). It all started when the hostel president called the SUG President Comrade Ibe Chukwunonso Cico Michael who was far away in Abuja and reported to him about what happened to him, after receiving the call, the President directed that he should report to the Students' Rights Council of Union's Judiciary under the office of the SUG Chief Judge I.A Muoneme. When the matter came to the Chief Judge desk, he immediately referred it to Students' Rights Council and Students' Legal Aid Council headed by Hon Ezeogbuefi Martin and Hon Umeorah Christian respectively.
Also in a swift reaction, the Ifite Hostels Presidents Forum (IPF) was highly enraged over such a beating and demanded that the Union should immediately react, due to the absence of the President, the Chief Judge have no option but rather to refer IPF to office of the Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor and Director of infrastructures Dr Godson Okafor. In further reaction, The union's Judiciary in conjunction with the Ifite Hostels Presidents Forum Executives and also Executives of Ezebuilo Hostel went on a peaceful protest to the office of Dr Godson Okafor who is a special assistant to the UNIZIK Vice Chancellor.
When the union's Judiciary, hostels presidents executive and Ezebuilo hostel executive entered Dr. Godson Okafor's Office he received them after which they tabled their case before him. He was shocked on the level of reports on abuse of students' rights especially the report from the IPF President, Hon Dominic and pathetic story narrated to him by Ezebuilo Hostel President who was beaten up with his brother by the anti-cult officer (name withheld). What shocked him most was that he was informed that the anti-cult officer went to the extent of tearing the inner wear (bra) of a female student who is also an occupant of the Ezebuilo hostel, he was shown the bruises on the face and chest of the brother of Ezebuilo hostel President. Dr Godson was speechless for some moments. Later, Hon. Dominic went further to narrate to him that the abuse of students rights is becoming unacceptable and also that some of the officers of the anti-cult are even threatening some of the IPF leaders and also a leading member of the Union for standing up to fight for the rights and welfare of the Union. At this point, Dr Godson could no longer hold his emotions and annoyance and reassured all the Union's Leaders that as far as this current administration of the Vice Chancellor Prof. Joseph Ahaneku is concerned, non of them will be intimidated or victimized by security personnel for fighting for students rights and that if such ever happens, the defaulting officer shall be prosecuted according to the law, he reassured them that as long as they are good ambassadors of the university and take their education seriously, they will graduate and do their clearance at the due time of their graduation and dare the so-called security personnel to stand in the way of any of them and face the consequences that follows.
Dr Godson further informed the Students that he was recently appointed the ASUU liason officer on students affairs by ASUU and used the opportunity to tell all Zikites not to be afraid but stand on their rights and report any case of abuse or harm on them by the anti-cult by simply writing to him and the Vice Chancellor through the dean of students and leave the rest for them to handle. The Union's Judiciary body and IPF leader Hon. Dominic thanked him on behalf of Unizik Students and told him that they will remain good ambassadors of the university.
Vice Chancellor Visits and Sympathies with Ezebuilo Lodge President
Later the same day being Thursday, the Vice Chancellor sent his aid Mr Markutus to Ezebuilo Hostel to express his apology and sympathy on the brutal assault given to them by the Anti-cult officer imposing himself as the lodge caretaker, Mr Markutus who was visibly emotionally oppressed by the level of beating told lodge president that he received his letter and report and promised him that he will seriously look into the matter to make sure that justice prevails.
Meanwhile the Chairman of Students' Legal Aid Council Hon Umeorah Christian (Senior Advocate of LAWSA State) and his vice Hon Chiedebere Okaru (Senior Advocate of LAWSA State), said that their client (Ezebuilo Lodge President) have briefed them on the matter and upon carrying out their investigation, they discovered that the so-called anti cult officer is a 200 level student of psychology department. They also stated that after they must have prepared and filed their case at the SUG High Court, the accused anti cult personnel will be summoned by the court on tortuous offence of assault.
0 comments:
Post a Comment