Police Operatives Invade Enugu University Campus, Arrest Over 50 Students

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have reportedly invaded the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), and arrested over 50 students.

 

The invasion, SaharaReporters gathered on Saturday morning, took place on Friday evening amid the sit-at-home order which was substantially observed across the state.

 

The President of the ESUT Students Union Government (SUG) Donatus Okolieuwa, who confirmed the invasion to journalists on Saturday, said the invasion was carried by policemen from the anti-cult Unit of the Enugu State Police Command.

 

Okolieuwa who described the clampdown on students on campus as quite disturbing, queried when police operatives started invading university campuses.

 

Condemning the incident, SUG president called on Governor Peter Mbah to wade into the matter to enable the affected students regain their freedom before it degenerates into more crisis as there is tension in the campus.

 

“We therefore call on our Governor, 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 students meeting at Dragon Relaxation Centre, 82 Division, Enugu, a student called and told me that around 5pm/6pm armed men invaded the school cafeteria with two Hillux vans and a sienna bus, and released a gunshot in the air.

 

“Due to the manner in which they arrived, and owing to the stories of unknown gunmen in the society and the shooting in the air, the students who were in front of the cafeteria chilling with drinks at that evening hour started running away for their safety.

 

“On 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 are playing snookers, games, 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 (CSO) to ascertain if he was aware of such incident in the school, he said no, that he was not aware, and that he would 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 identified and pointed out two of the arrested persons who are members of the school security operatives, and the two people were released.

 

“They humiliated our students including the female ones who they later released after seizing their phones and power banks. Then they move away with every other male student there.

 

“I contacted the Vice-Chancellor and the Department of State Services (DSS) 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 for the release of the students, they assured me.”

 

Irked by the trauma, 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 anti-cult shows that the security of our students in the school is no longer guaranteed in the height of the insecurities ravaging the 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 Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT is a noble institution where social values and norms are upheld in its highest echelon, and social vices being jettisoned in its entirety as championed by our digital and pragmatic Vice-Chancellor; Prof Aloysius Michaels Okolie.”

 

Meanwhile, SaharaReporters’ efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, were not successful as he could not take his calls as at the time of filing this report.