The authorities of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), have expelled six final year students for their alleged involvement in a violent protest on the premises of the institution.
The Registrar of the institution, John Nnabuihe, who disclosed this to The Guardian on Tuesday, in Owerri, said the Senate of the institution met a few days ago and approved of their expulsion.
“Six of them have been expelled, including the former student leader. The Senate met and expelled them,” Nnabuihe said.
Those affected were Collins Ogbonna (Fishery and Aquaculture Technology); Elvis Onuoha (Animal Science Technology); and Ebuka Odunze of Computer Science department.
Others, expelled, Nnabuihe, confirmed were Kenneth Mega (Prosthetics and Orthotics department); Nnamdi Madu and Collins Ugwu all of Optometry department.
Meanwhile, in solidarity with the expelled students, The Guardian gathered that the students of the institution and other tertiary institutions in the country were allegedly planning to shut down academic and administrative activities in the FUTO on May 8, if the authorities of the institution fail to recall the six expelled students.
They demanded that the cause of the demonstration students held about two months ago be addressed rather than expelling students.
Students had staged a violent demonstration at the school about two months ago to protest increase of certain fees and lack of some accommodation and basic amenities. Certain properties belonging to the institution were destroyed in the process.
The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Francis Eze, has since dismissed the allegation, stating that the institution, as a federal institution, does not charge school fees, noting that only negligible addition for the provision of WiFi was made as agreed between the student body, the authorities and the providers.
(The Guardian)
