As at about 8am, the aggrieved Students of the prestigious FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY OWERRI (FUTO) stormed the streets of FUTO and environs, on a peaceful protest, against the undeserved and unjust policies being meted out on the students recently. According to some of the protesters who pleaded anonymity, the FUTO SUG has been compromised as they are not carrying out their duties properly.
They further added that due to the economic recession currently happening in the Country, the increase in school fees was totally unfair and unacceptable, wicked, heartless and Unjust.
“Every new session in FUTO, one unexplained policy, will emanate from the management, in a bid to intimidate NIGERIAN STUDENTS and force money out of students pockets.
"They Started with online verification of students' accounts via online for payment of School fees and accommodation fees, They(ICT) didn't send memos to various departments, You would have to go to your Department and plead hell with them for them to send back the list of students' reg numbers as advised by the ICT. This frustrated Alot of us especially those of us leaving at Lagos, Abuja, Sokoto, etc as we can't come back due to non availability of accommodation because the said you must pay your school fees before you pay of accommodation. One of the aggrieved students said.
According to some other protesters, FUTO is currently the Federal University with the highest school fees. They also further stated that the fees has been constant for many years until the new VC (Prof. Eze) came into office.
Most of the reasons for their grievance as follows:
1. They have succeeded in increasing school fees, by up to 40%.
2. They have over the years denied us access to schools Wi Fi connectivity, of which #10000 from our school fee is tagged ICT FEE. (Students pay for Wi-Fi, and staff use the Wi-Fi)
3. Now, they are giving us a mandate, to pay up our increased school fees, on or before today, 17th February 2017 otherwise face a penalty of 10,000 and even stand the risk of not writing exam.
4. We are paying for transport within school via school buses but we haven’t seen any of such.
5. Graduates of 2016 are expected to pay extra N5,000 for school fees.
6. Course registrations are now tripled the price.
7. Even the Pedegree students were also affected, their application fee which was #10000 was also hiked by additional #1000 which made it #11000
8. We are supposed to be supplied electricity via the school's Lister from 7pm to 12am and from 5am to 6am, But the school's operator would hoard the petrol and won't supply us light for months yet everyone would keep quiet!!!......
9. The ManOwar who call themselves security people would go around stealing, harrassing, maltreating and doing unjust things to Nigerian Students and no one would talk. Enough is Enough!!!!........
10. A day scheduled for lecture free would come but lectures would still go to class and teach telling you it (the class) isn't compulsory but they would give free marks to students who attend the lecture.
11. The School's Hostel Is just the worst of it all!!!...... You need to see the standard of FUTO's Hostels!, The Convenience is a dead zone, the environs are always dirty, everything is just casted! You would see students defecating on the bathroom just because the toilets are dirty. The School would want you to live in the Hostel....Under these Conditions?? NoWAY!!
12. Every session you would be compiled to pay #500 for Library Fees and you must show your school fees receipt before you would be allowed to register for a place that's not even equipped. A Place 5 persons would be waiting 1hr by 1hr to read "State and Society" textbook.
13. Our Bus transport fees that used to be #100 was increased to #130. This was also included in our school fees receipt.
No one is Talking!!.....
“Nigeria students are not happy. FUTO students are not happy. We have endured enough. We have been calm and intimidated enough. We can no longer take this. We are up on our feet. Our sister Federal Universities of Technology, are not facing the same. There is a mix up somewhere and we want to know the reason for the mix up today” they said.
In the course of the Peaceful RIOT, windows of lecture halls were broken, laptops were stolen from the ICT unit together with UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply), standing fans and stabilizers etc. Windscreens of FUTO buses were also broken down. Street lights in the school were also broken and the entire school properties were vandalized by the agrieved students of FUTO.
The Vice Chancellor of the School, Prof. Francis Eze fled the school premises in fear of his life.
Plans to use the FUTO Man’O War as well as army and police officials proved abortive as they were out numbered. However, the armed men who came to bring the protest to an end only ended up throwing tear gas at the students which made them even more angrier. The protest is undoubtedly first ever destructive RIOT in FUTO.
Also one of the students by name Comr. Ogbonna Rochas Collins (Former SUG PRO) was arrested by the DSS, been the one who headed the protest. On the other hand, a student was also shot on the leg.
As of 2:30pm today, students in the hostels was directed to leave the hostel before 4pm.
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