By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The management of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in Edo State has suspended the Student Union Government (SUG) of the institution indefinitely.
The suspension was contained in a statement issued on Monday by Ademola Bobola, UNIBEN Registrar, he said, “The university management has received the report of the panel constituted to investigate the incidents that occurred in the Faculty of Law and the University’s Senior Staff Club on Friday, April 12, 2024.
“After due consideration of the report by the management, the Vice-Chancellor has approved the suspension of the university’s Student Union.
“The suspension which is indefinite, takes immediate effect, that is, from Monday, April 29, 2024.
“Accordingly, all officers of the Students’ Union are to hand over all property of the union in their possession to the Dean, Students’ Affairs, not later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
“In the interim, a caretaker committee composed of representatives of faculties, schools and institutes has been approved to coordinate students’ activities during the period of suspension.
“The directive of the Vice-Chancellor is hereby communicated for the attention of the university community and compliance of the erstwhile union officers as appropriate.”
The suspension was in connection with the incident at the UNIBEN Senior Staff Club on Friday 12 of April 2024.
In the incident, the student union was said to have disrupted an interactive session by staff of the university with Olumide Akpata, Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Edo State.
The students were said to have behaved unruly at the event and in the process, rough-handled many of the staff, including a member of the Academic Staff of the Universities (ASUU), who was reportedly beaten to a pulp.
The management of the university set up a panel of enquiry to investigate the incident to unravel the cause of the issue.