The protest on Wednesday by students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), over two-month blackout, has made the management to shut down the university indefinitely.
This was made known yesterday by the spokesperson for UNIBEN, Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, as the students vowed on Wednesday to continue the protest on the Benin-Lagos Expressway, until the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) restored electricity supply to the Ugbowo main campus of the university.
Ehanire said: “Following the refusal of students of the University of Benin to shift ground on their demands for 24 hours supply of electricity and more, considered unrealistic by the university’s senate, the university has stopped academic activities indefinitely.
“Students are to vacate the hostels immediately, while relevant units of the university are to take note and comply.
“However, non-teaching workers and workers on essential duties are not affected by the shutdown.”
BEDC disconnected UNIBEN over unpaid bill, with the monthly bill rising from N80 million to N280 million, which the management described as outrageous, thereby opting for generators being rationed, as the students kicked against just one hour electricity supply shortly before their first semester examinations.
It will be recalled that thousands of protesting UNIBEN students barricaded the expressway, with motorists and commuters groaning.