By LEONARD OKACHIE

The Management of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia, has announced an indefinite closure of the institution, following Tuesday’s violent protest by the students.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, in a statement issued in the aftermath of the protest, ordered the students to vacate the university premises with immediate effect.

The statement, which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia, added that the closure was to safeguard lives and property on campus.

Iwe’s statement read in part: “This is to notify the public that the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia woke up to experience the violation of the long existing peace of the university this morning.

“Miscreants took over the university, chasing and pursuing the Vice-Chancellor, damaging his official vehicle and those of his officials.

“They were claiming that they were not allowed to take their first semester examinations owing to their failure to pay their charges.

“The university’s record shows that 70 per cent of the students had paid their charges and were peacefully taking their examinations.

“More than 2,000 were in the queue to pay and register their courses before the miscreants and hoodlums took the stage to cause trouble and disrupt the long-standing peace of the university.”

NAN reports that a large number of students went on rampage on campus over an alleged management’s refusal to allow those who had yet to pay their tuition fees to write the ongoing first semester examinations.

The protesters also complained about what they described as “the geometric hike” in the university’s tuition fees. (NAN)

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