Several sources have told Reporters
the Nigerian police in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State, yesterday shot dead
three protesting students at the University of Uyo.
One source said he was certain only of one casualty, but
the other said the figure was higher.
Eyewitnesses said a peaceful
procession on campus turned violent, leading to the burning
down of the vice chancellor’s office located at Ikpa Road in Uyo
.
“At least three students were shot
and killed by the police,” said a student source. He added that the police
contingent had been brought in to quell the uprising.
Unconfirmed reports said university
officials have closed down the school indefinitely after the protests that
turned violent.
An eyewitness told Reporters that
the protest was started by engineering students protesting the introduction of
fares for the school bus shuttle. The school earlier moved the
engineering faculty and the faculty of sciences from the town campus to the
permanent site at Nsukara Offot. “The distance between the two locations is
very far,” said the source. He added: “Before now the school provided buses
that shuttled between the two campuses of the university, and the bus service
was free to all students. Now this morning the students woke up to the
announcement that a fee of 100 naira has been fixed for the bus service
Our source disclosed that the fares
infuriated students who afterwards mobilized for a peaceful protest. He said
the university officials then brought in policemen to break up the protest. Two
of our sources accused the police of using excessive show of force against the
unarmed protesters.