Scores of unarmed civilians have been left injured and several vehicles destroyed at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ugbowo main campus, in alleged revenge attacks launched by some soldiers.
The alleged reprisal attack came on Thursday night following Thursday’s clash between some UNIBEN students and soldiers.
A skirmish had occurred when some soldiers reportedly attempted to shunt a queue of students trying to withdraw money at an ATM on UNIBEN campus.
The soldiers were said to have descended heavily on a female student who they accused of recording their activities.
Other students rose in defence of the assaulted lady. An attempt by the soldiers to take along the accused lady to their barracks was reportedly resisted by some male students.
An attempt by the school security department to mediate was, according to Campus Gist, rebuffed by the soldiers who allegedly assaulted the officers including the Chief Security Officer (CSO).
The situation quickly degenerated to full hostilities between the soldiers and the students. The soldiers were outnumbered, and in a now-viral video, one of the soldiers can be seen being beaten by the students.
He scales the fence of the university to escape a further beating.
In what appeared to be a retaliation, the soldiers believed to be from S&T Barracks in Benin City allegedly invaded the university campus at night by scaling the perimeter fencing to beat up security officers on night duty, destroying several vehicles parked on the campus.
Some unarmed civilians including staff on campus who were attempting to use the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) on bank road in the school premises were caught up in the attack, and some of them sustained injuries.
Vehicles belonging to the institution and private individuals were vandalised by the rampaging soldiers.
Some of the injured were taken to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
Medical personnel at the hospital said many of the injured were brought in early this morning (Friday, January 2023).
The University Management has appealed to staff and students for calm and not take the law into their hands or protest over the development.
In a statement issued early Friday morning and personally signed by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Lilian Salami, she said the school’s management was in discussion with the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army for an amicable resolution of the crisis.
“The Management acknowledges that these are challenging times for everyone and enjoins all to remain calm while efforts are being made to avert a re-occurrence,” she said.
Professor Salami called on the students to “constantly engage dialogue in resolving issues that concern them rather than taking to protests, at any provocation, thereby causing more injury and damage to themselves and other citizens.”
See footages from the students’ action and the retaliation from the soldiers here.
