From: Samuel Luka, Bauchi
The management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi has ordered the closure of the institution for one week over escalating protest embarked upon by some angry students early Monday morning.
Briefing newsmen at the Chancellor's Lodge of the university in GRA, the Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations of the university, Zailani Bappa said that the protest followed allegations of murder of one of the students Saturday night.
"There was allegation of murder of our student which was reported to our security unit which they said happened on Saturday night", the Director said.
"This was reported on Sunday morning, that is yesterday, to our security office that one Joseph Aga Baidu, a 500 level student of Geology Department of Faculty of Science of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University was murdered", he explained.
According to Zailani Bappa, the alleged murder did not happen within the university campus, adding that, record available to the university indicated that the deceased student lives outside the university campus.
The Director who said that the details of the incident is still sketchy, disclosed that the chief security officer of the university was at the police station to verify the veracity of the allegation.
"It was confirmed to the chief security officer that one of our student bearing that name was missing and he was the same person who was alleged to have been murdered", he said.
The Directorate while stating that the duty of the university security is to report the issue to the police for proper investigation, noted that they were able to do it and that the police are currently investigating the issue.
Zailani Bappa who appealed for calm, noted that the university management cannot in anyway address the issue without proper police report on the allegation which is yet to come to the university.
While regretting that some agitating students embarked on protest by taking the matter in to their hands, the university management, said decision to close down the institution was reached.
"The management of the university directed the security unit to restore law and order into the campus and make sure that nothing happens drastic inside the campus, the police were also there to ensure that from the gate of the university to the larger host Community is safe", he said.
"However, it is very unfortunate that after succeeding in trying to control the situation inside the campus, some group of students decided not to surrender the matter to the police. They proceeded with the protest, leading to a level where they want to create disorder within the university Community", Zailani Bappa said.
"They even refused to recognize officials of the university who made efforts to calm them down, so it has led to the decision of the university management to close down the university", he further explained.
Zailani Bappa who maintain that the university has closed from today up to the period of one week, announced that students have been directed to vacate all campuses immediately.
He said that the closure of the university will continue up to next weekend pending the time the students come back to their senses to guarantee law and order in the university.
The university debunked many false information making round about the alleged murder of the student, saying only the police can confirm the circumstances surrounding his death after their investigation.
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