Uniben Students Protest Over Lack of Water, Light In Hostels

Early morning callers at the Ekheuan Campus of the University of Benin were stranded yesterday as students y blocked the entrance gate over power outage and lack of water for the past three days.

Workers of the university, operators of businesses including several people who had several social engagements in the various spaces in the compound who had come with their canopies, chairs and other needs, were stranded.

The students said they have been without light and water for the past three days and that last night, an unknown person armed with a cutlass tried to enter the girls hostel and that he inflicted a bite injury on a student while trying to escape.

“For you to have your bath is like hell on this campus,” a student said.

Another student who gave his name as Prosper said, “We have been in this situation for the past three days; no light, no water, yet we have paid our fees including several other charges that have been increased since the beginning of the new session. The hostels are messed up because there is no water.”

The presence of the deputy rector, Ekheuan Campus of the University, Prof Adesina Ayinde, did not assuage the students.

He told them that plans had been concluded to give the students water later yesterday while the issue of light was being sorted out but the students insisted that they would not open the gate until they see water.

LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the only generator in the campus had packed up. It was also gathered that there was a backup generator bought during the time of Prof Friday Orunmwense but that the last administration of Professor Lilian Salami moved it to the main campus in Ugbowo.

As at the time of filing this report, the DVC and other senior staff of the university were still trying to pacify the students to open the gate.