Academic activities suspended in FUTMinna after students go on rampage

Academic activities have been suspended in Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger state, after the outbreak of violence in the school premises on Wednesday.

A statement signed by Shakirudeen Yusuf, the school’s acting academic secretary, said, “The management of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, has approved a two-week mid-semester break for all students of the institution with immediate effect.”

“Consequently, all students are to vacate the two campuses latest by 4pm, Thursday, February 16, 2017. Academic activities (will) resume on Thursday, March 2, 2017,” the statement read.

Students had razed to the ground the school’s clinic, vandalised the school libraries, lecture rooms, a female hostel and a microfinance bank while protesting the death of a student, Olalekan Emmanuel.

Emmanuel’s death was blamed on workers in the clinic, who were alleged to have been negligent.

The students claim that Emmanuel was not attended to for about 30 minutes after he was brought to the clinic.

In a separate statement on its website, the university vowed to investigate the death of the student.

“With deep felt sympathy and sorrow, the management of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, announces the death of Yeye Emmanuel Olalekan, a 300-level student of the Department of Chemistry Education, School of Science and Technology Education.

“Yeye slumped while playing football on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, and was rushed to the health centre, where he was certified dead. Late Yeye, aged 23, hailed from the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.”