At least four students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, were on Wednesday left critically injured after a clash with military men.
DAILY POST learnt that the students, of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, were on a peaceful protest when the incident occurred.
It could be re-called that a 3rd year student from the same faculty had lost her life in a motor accident owing to the sudden closure of the institution by the authorities.
The female student was on her way to her home-town in Anambra State, following the closure of hostels, when she lost her life alongside other passengers.
However, few days after her burial, her colleagues, who were apparently still grieving over the sudden death, stated a protest over a prolonged strike in their faculty.
The students, who marched out in their numbers, accused the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba of being insensitive to their plight.
It was gathered that the faculty staff and the University authority had been at loggerheads over their salary and allowances, prompting the former to proceed on indefinite strike,
But things got to a climax on Wednesday as the students said they were tired of staying at home and demanded for an immediate settlement of the dispute.
A source told DAILY POST that the protest was peaceful until the arrival of armed soldiers allegedly contacted by the University authority.
“We were not in any way lawless; we had only gone to the office of the Vice Chancellor to register our grievances but he unleashed soldiers on us”, one of the students alleged.
Meanwhile, although the dean of the faculty could not be reached as at the time of filing this report, one of the lecturers disclosed that “the problem started since April this year when our allowances were suddenly deducted without valid reason; when we saw the ugly situation, an official letter was written to the VC but till now nothing was done about it’’. .
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