Without any prior notice to the Vice Chancellor, as conventionally required, operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have reportedly stormed the Enugu State University of Science and Technology and arrested some students after shooting sporadically on the campus.
Reports says the invading police came in commando+style in two Hilux vans and a Sienna bus without the knowledge of school security operatives and surrendered the students.
It was gathered on Saturday morning that the police invaded the university on Friday evening amid the sit-at-home order of the Indigenous People of Biafra that was substantially observed across the state.
Confirming the invasion, the President of the ESUT Students Union Government, Donatus Okolieuwa, described it as unacceptable and condemnable, adding that the invasion was carried out by policemen from the anti-cult Unit of the Enugu State Police Command.
Okolieuwa called on Governor Peter Mbah to wade into the matter to enable the affected students to regain their freedom.
Okolieuwa said, “We, therefore, call on our kindhearted governor, His Excellency Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, to intervene in this matter, and use his good office to facilitate the release of our students. Our students should not be subjected to torture, inhuman and degrading punishment for no just cause.”
Narrating how the incident took place, he said, “While I was in a student meeting at Dragon Relaxation Center, 82 Division, Enugu, a student called and told me around 5 pm/6 pm that armed men invaded the school cafeteria with two Hilux vans and a sienna bus, and fired a gunshot in the air.
“Due to the manner in which they arrived, and owing to the stories of gunmen in society and the shooting in the air, the students who were in front of the cafeteria that evening hour started running away for their safety.
“In the process, the armed men started running after the students, surrendered them all, then entered the cafeteria and arrested everybody inside the cafeteria, including those who were playing games including female students who came to the cafeteria to charge their phones and other electronic gadgets, the staff and manager of the cafeteria and members of our school security.
“On hearing this, I called our school Chief Security Officer to ascertain if he is aware of such an incident in the school, he said no, that he was not aware. He said he will get to the scene with his men immediately.
“On getting there with his men, he noticed that the armed men are members of the Anti-Cult Squad, Enugu. It was there the school CSO, who they tried to intimidate was able to identify and pointed out two of the arrested persons who are members of the school security operatives, and the two people were released.”
He added that students of the school were humiliated including the female ones who they later released after seizing their phones and power banks while the police move away with every other male student there.
“I contacted the Vice-Chancellor and the Department of State Services officers in charge of students, both the one in Agbani and that of Enugu. They were not aware of such arrest, but they have swung into action to ensure the release of the students. They assured me.”
The SUG president said, “Our Students are beginning to have the fear of not being safe even inside the school. Such invasion of the University by the members of the Anti-Cult team shows that the security of our students in the school is no longer guaranteed in the height of the insecurities ravaging society currently.
“Some armed men can come to the school and kidnap our students without the knowledge of our school security operatives. The students are ragging over the development.
“Inasmuch as we are totally against and are fighting criminality among students, we are not cool with the unwarranted harassment, intimidation, and breach of the fundamental rights of our students. The needful should be done and on time.
“It is a known fact that ESUT is a noble institution where social values and norms are upheld, and social vices are being jettisoned in its entirety as championed by our digital and pragmatic Vice-Chancellor; Professor Aloysius Michaels Okolie.”
Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on the development were not successful as he could not be reached.
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