Irate Youths Block Alex Ekweme Varsity Entrance Over Ban On Keke, Okada Riders

Irate youths of Ndufu-Alike community in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State, Tuesday morning, blocked the road leading to the entrance gate of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University located in the community, preventing staff and students from gaining access into the school campus.

The angry youths numbering over 100 blocked the entrance gate of the University to protest the ban by the University Management of commercial tricycle operators (Keke) and motorcyclists (Okada) from plying the school campus.

The youths blocked the road with drums, log of words, tyres and other items and were seen chanting different protest songs.

The ban, which was placed about two months ago, was as a result of complaints by lecturers and students of the institution over alleged molestation, harassment and intimidation from the Keke and Okada operators, who are mostly youths of the host community.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP on the development, the Public Relations Officer(PRO) of the Institution, Mr. Ikechukwu Ubochi, said that the blockade lasted between 7am and 10am on Tuesday, adding that the unfortunate incident caused panic and tension within and around the University community.

“This morning at about 7am, we came to work only to realise that youths of Ndufu-Alike community had blocked the road leading to the school entrance gate. On inquiry, they said that the blockade is to protest the ban by the University Management of Okada and Keke plying inside the school campus.

“Yes, the Management last two months banned them from entering inside the university campus. We have had cases of them beating up a lecturer and a student over minor argument. They don’t adhere to any of the rules of the school because they have this belief that they have the same right with management being the host community.

“There have been other complaints from lecturers and students of the nuisance many of them constitute within the school environment. The university is supposed to be a quiet environment, but many of the Keke operators have loud speakers inside their Keke and they usually put it on a very high volume, disturbing the peace of the school.

“There have been cases of using commercial motorcycles to rob and dispose people of theIr valuables. Cult members most times make use of okada to attack and kill students and other individuals and escape. So, Management, based on the prevailing issues, resolved to stop the movement of Okada inside the school environment.

“So, I see the protest as needless and uncalled for. Because whatever that prompted the ban was masterminded by them.”

Mr. Ubochi commended the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the military for bringing the situation under control.

“The Nigeria Police Force and the military had to move in after about three hours and restored normalcy in the area,” the University spokesman added.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the protesting youths, Mr. Ejike Njoku, expressed sadness over the decision of the school management to ban them from plying inside the school, adding that the decision was taken without any recourse to them.

He lamented that the University took their lands, built the institution and refused to give them jobs.

“We decided to protest to express our anger on the school management for failing to give the youths of the host community jobs.

“It is our right to ply inside the School campus since we don’t have any other job. They banned us without any consultation and recourse to the plight it will cause on us.

“The campus is a large environment that should have its own means of transportation. We were rendering that service until about two months ago when they asked us to stop plying within the campus,” Njoku stated.