By Ogochukwu Isioma, Benin
Management of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has placed a ban on all social activities on campus following the recent killing of a final year male student identified as Desmond Obukobo Oghenerukhewe.
METROWATCHXTRA.COM reports that Desmond, popularly called ‘Mayor’ by friends and colleagues, was last week Monday murdered in cold blood right inside his hostel room in the popular Hall 3 Hall of Residence at the Ugbowo main campus.
A memo issued by the university’s Dean of Students, Professor Clement Ighodaro, on Tuesday, obtained by METROWATCHXTRA.COM, said all “activities related to students gathering are suspended till further notice.”
Although the university management did not state the reason for the ban, METROWATCHXTRA.COM learned that the development may not be unconnected to the recent gruesome murder of the student on campus.
Precedents
But this is not the first time that UNIBEN has placed restrictions on students’ activities. Over the past years, the institution have adopted such measures in the wake of killings of its students on campus.
In 2019, the school banned all social activities on campus following the killing of a 200-level student simply identified as Aficionado by suspected cultists during a final year jean carnival by students of the the Faculty of Arts.
Similarly, in the wake of cult-related killings in Benin City, in 2021, UNIBEN restricted social activities on campus with a directive that all activities must be carried out with permission from the Dean of Students.
Backstory
Unknown assailants on Monday April 3, sent ‘Mayor’, a final year Public Administration student to early grave. Security has been beefed up on campus in the wake of the incident, while normal activities, including academic, are ongoing.
Management of the university had pledged to intensify efforts to protect the lives of staff and students at all time and forestall re-occurrence of such incident within the university’s premises.
A statement endorsed by the UNIBEN’s spokesperson, Mrs Benedicta Ehanire, said ”Management is working closely with the internal security units in ensuring that such dastardly incident does not occur again within the University’s premises.”
While commiserating with the family and colleagues of the murdered student, the UNIBEN management enjoined other students to be calm “as the Police as well as other Security Agencies are working hard to fish out and arrest the culprit.”
On its part, the Edo State Police Command said the death of the final year student was caused by a rivalry war between two cult groups, adding that the deceased belonged to one of the secret cult groups.
Police spokesperson, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said the late Desmond, who was also the head of Kegites Club in UNIBEN, was a member of Maphites secret cult group and he was killed by members of the Black Axe popularly called Eiye.
“Preliminary investigation showed that the victim was a member of Maphites while the killers are members of Aye. The DPO will transfer the case to the SCID to continue investigation,” the police image maker claimed.
More than one week, however, the police are yet to make arrests in connection to the incident. Efforts to obtain comments from the police spokesperson were unsuccessful.
Students react
Meanwhile, students, especially those in final year, have expressed mixed reactions over the ban on social activities on campus.
Some of them while lamenting the suspension, said social activities help to bring students together and foster unity among them when they leave school.
A 500-level Engineering student who preferred anonymity said: “I don’t think suspending social activities on campus is the best option to handling security challenges. Besides, the killing took place inside the hostel and not as a result of social activities or students’ gathering.”
Samuel, a 500-level Law student, described the suspension of social activities on campus as heartbreaking, ”and a violation of citizens’ rights as permitted by the Nigerian Constitution.”
He said if management beefed up security they would be able to handle any crisis that may arise during social activities, while calling for adequate security on campus.
“It seems the school is becoming more boring. How can social activities be suspended just like that? Are they trying to pin the killing on social activities?,” Samuel queried.
“If the problem is security, I think strong security measures should be put in place during such activities to protect students instead of this outright ban.
”These activities have been going on in school for a very long time and adds so much value to the society. Activities like the cultural or faculty week bring togetherness among students. It creates unity and oneness.”
Jennifer, a 400-level Fine Arts student, opposed the ban, saying: ”Social activities on campus, especially final year activities, are meant to celebrate the successful completion of academic studies. It is a kind of reunion where students get to celebrate with each other before they all set out to different destinations of life.”
“This is an important phase of students life and it has brought about unity and joy to students in the past. It is sad that it has been suspended again,” Jennifer argued.
Vanessa, a 400-level Education student, said management should have a rethink as the importance of social activities cannot be overemphasized, especially as it has added values to the lives of students.
She said: ”The cultural activities, for instance, have enlightened and educated most students in so many areas. For example, most students who do not know how to speak their mother tongue have been privileged to learn through the cultural associations in the institution.
“It has also brought about enlightenment in the area of our cultural heritage and history of our tribes. We have learnt so much through this activities on campus, so I am not pleased with the suspension of all social activities on campus.”
However, for Osas, a 200-level student from the Faculty of Social Sciences, social activities on campus have always been hijacked by people with dubious intentions.
He said some students feel that such events have become an occasion where they can hurt fellow students they may have had issues with and so they take advantage of the occasion.
“The yearly killing of students, especially during final year week is saddening. It is something we do not want to experience again. Some years ago, a student was shot dead by suspected cultists during the final year celebration.
“So I understand where the school management is coming from. It is a wise move to suspend social activities and we all should adhere to it.”
Cynthia, a Life Science 300-level student, also backed the move by management, noting that events on campus had always given room for conflict because of lack of security during such activities.
She claimed that during such activities, outsiders are allowed into the school without proper identification or screening at the main gate by security personnel.
“Most of these flashy car drivers you see on campus may not be students, yet they are allowed into the school. Some of them may be there to cause trouble and walk away. So I think the move by management is to checkmate these excesses,” she said.
Suvvee, a 400-level Mass Communication student, said: “I do not believe in some of these (social) activities especially the so-called final year week. A lot of students have lost their lives in the process and the ban is a move to address violence and killings among cult rival groups.”
Favour, a 100-level student of Accounting, said: “School is a learning environment. Management cannot be blamed for placing a ban on social activities. At present, the security situation of the country leaves much to be desired. Therefore, the suspension of social activities by the school authorities is commendable. In the long run, students will derive huge benefits from the decision.”
An official of the UNIBEN Students’Union, who craved anonymity said although, social activities remain a source of joy to newly admitted and final year students, ”but in recent years, these (social) activities have become an avenue to foment trouble and mayhem. Therefore, school authorities cannot be blamed for placing a ban on social activities. At present, the security situation of the country leaves much to be desired.”
Social activities were first suspended on UNIBEN campus four years ago as a result of the assassination of a final year student of the Department of Nursing, by suspected cultists within the school premises.
Pandemonium broke out at the university’s Ugbowo campus that day, sending students and lecturers scampering for safety. The deceased, who was heading for a carnival organised for students in Social Sciences, was shot on the neck at close range by an unknown gunman.
It was later learnt that the assailant drove into the school in a tinted glass vehicle and hid at the car park where he ambushed the deceased and shot him.
The death of the said final year student had then become a major reason management felt such social activities which may lead to bloodshed among students needed to be nipped in the bud via the ban on social activities.
“While this have apparently eased cult-related activities during such social outings, it is however hoped that the ban will in the long run serve as a panacea to such wanton and needless violence among students of UNIBEN. Then other tertiary institutions across the country may imitate such move,” a top management staff told METROWATCHXTRA.COM.
