By Patrick Ahanor
Benin City
There was pandemonium yesterday at Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo state, following part-time students protest over the “no school fees, no exam” policy by the management of the institution.
A pregnant student and two others were reportedly killed in the unrest, while several others sustained various degrees of injury.
Trouble was said to have started yesterday after invigilators prevented the students from writing examination even when such management decision only apply during second semester exams.
Our correspondent learnt that some of the affected students who managed to write their examination the previous day had their scripts torn by invigilators.
Miss Susan (surname withheld) of the Mass Communication department alleged that operative of the school’s security outfit, popularly known as Fazal, in an attempt to quell the riot shot at the students.
She said two of the students were killed in the process, while a pregnant student, who took to her heels for safety fell and fainted.
“All attempts to revive her failed as the pregnant woman died before we could get medical care,” she said.
Blueprint further gathered that the rampaging students afterwards took to the ever busy Auchi-Abuja expressway and halted traffic for several hours.
Vehicles and property running into millions of naira, including the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) new crew vehicle, were destroyed by the rampaging students.
Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mustapha Oshiobugie, told reporters that school had been shut indefinitely.
Oshiobugie, however, denied claim that casualty was recorded during the unrest.
