Some
employees of the University of Benin, Edo State, on Tuesday protested
against the alleged demolition of their official quarters by the state
government.
The workers, numbering 25, alleged that
the demolition was carried out on Monday night on the orders of the
state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, without prior notice.
They also accused the government of
disrespecting the court over the disputed property, located on Edo
Osagie Avenue in the General Residential Area, Benin, which they said
was pending in court.
It was learnt that no fewer than 16
apartments, including that of a former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Osayuki
Oshodin, were demolished.
It was gathered that the 16 bungalows
were given to UNIBEN by a former military governor of the Old Bendel
State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, in 1970, sequel to the establishment of the
institution, then known as Midwest Institute of Technology.
It was also learnt that the South South
Bureau Chief of the Daily Independent Newspapers, Mr. Francis
Onoiribholo, who was present during the demolition was allegedly beaten
up by some persons for taking photographs.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities
had, on December 23, raised concern over the alleged harassment of some
of its members by suspected thugs over the disputed property.
It explained in a statement signed by the
ASUU UNIBEN Chairman, Mr. Anthony Monye-Emina, that the university had
filed an appeal on December 17, 2014, against a court judgment issued on
the disputed parcels of land, which was occupied by some of its
members.
Monye-Emina on Tuesday accused Oshiomhole
of ”taking the law into his hands” by ordering the demolition, even
when the institution had secured a stay of execution order on the case,
which would have been heard in court this month.
He explained that the institution had
secured a police escort on December 21, to enable one of the workers to
pick up his property from the building had been pulled down with his
property inside.
He said the union got information on Monday that the onslaught had continued on other buildings under litigation.
“The university got a stay of execution
order. Two days after the court ruling, they sent thugs to forcefully
eject one of our members and beat him and his family up.”
The ASUU UNIBEN chairman, who argued that
the said building had earlier been given to the university by a former
military governor of the state, also lamented that the government had
rendered the affected members of staff homeless.
“He (Oshiomhole) wants to take back the
property. We feel that this is taking the law into his hand and that is
why we are on the streets to let the world know about the threat to life
and property that is being perpetrated by the chief security officer of
the state,” he said.
The protest took a dramatic turn when some hoodlums attacked some of the protesters along the Airport Road, Benin.
Monye-Emina told our correspondent that two vehicles belonging to the union were vandalised.
Our correspondent also learnt that some
students of the university went on rampage at the Ugbowo area of the
Benin-Ore Expressway, where the main campus of the institution is
located, in solidarity with the protesting workers.
The students were also said to have
seized one of the inter-city buses, Comrade Bus, operated by the state
government, to express their grievances.
When contacted, the Students Union
Government President of the university, Mr. Imafidon Ikhide, said, “Yes,
the bus was seized because our property was destroyed by the governor.
They destroyed the buildings of the members of staff at GRA.”
The Attorney-General of the state and
Commissioner for Justice, Henry Idahagbon, noted that the university had
no proof of a stay of execution order.
According to him, Justice E.O. Ahamioge
of the State High Court, in his judgment on December 16, 2014, ruled in
favour of the state government and ordered the university to vacate the
16 buildings and give up possession forthwith to the defendants (state
government).
“We did not demolish UNIBEN property; we
only took possession of Edo State Government property based on a court
judgment of December 16, 2014.
“UNIBEN took government to court. They
canvassed five issues and they lost every issue they raised. They said
the government of Midwestern Nigeria gave them the property, but no
documents whatsoever show that the land was transferred to them.
“They appealed, but there was no copy of a stay of execution.
“An appeal does not act as a stay of execution.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joseph Edoigiawerie, said that the command had not been officially informed.
Edoigiare said, “I am not aware of anything. We have not been officially informed.”
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