Many Injured As LP’s Akpata, Security Agents, UNIBEN Students Clash

Many people have been left injured after security operatives attached to the Edo State Labour Party (LP) Governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata, reportedly clashed with members of the Student Union Government of the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
Members of the SUG had on Friday invaded and interrupted a meeting between Akpata and senior lecturers of the academic institution.

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An eyewitness disclosed that the meeting between the governorship candidate and the lectures was holding peacefully at the University’s staff club before the Union members stormed the venue.

“The LP candidate (Akpata) was holding meeting with some lecturers at the Staff Club. Trouble started after Students’ Union leaders mobilized to the venue, and demanded an explanation of Akpata’s presence on campus without their knowledge.

“Before you know it, there was an exchange of words, and a senior lecturer pinned one Students’ Union Officer (name/position withheld) to the ground. It was almost a free-for-all situation as other Students’ Leaders tried to intervene, but Police Officers attached to Akpata opened fire,” the eyewitness told Campus Gist.

Another witness claimed, “The program has nothing to do with Uniben students or the SUG. We were there as National Association of Labour Party Students. The Union leaders came with the intention to stop the event.

“All pleas by Senior lecturers, including Professors and Deans of Faculties, to the Students’ leaders to leave the premises and allow the event to go on as it has nothing to do with them fell on deaf ears.

“That was when the issue escalated. Nobody was shot. In fact, one of the Students’ leaders pushed a lecturer who fell hard and is currently in a coma.”