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| University of Benin |
The University of Benin's management announced on Thursday that the school would close indefinitely due to ongoing student protests. Students have been ordered to leave their hostels immediately.
The announcement came from the university's Public Relations Officer, Benedicta Ehanire. The students began protesting on Wednesday, mainly due to the rationing of electricity and other issues. Their protest included blocking the Benin-Ore highway, causing significant traffic and inconvenience for travelers. Some students vowed to remain on the highway until their demands were met.
The university's Senate held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the students' concerns and try to resolve the issues. They warned that the school would close if the talks failed. In her statement, Ehanire mentioned that the students' demands, including a 24-hour electricity supply, were deemed unrealistic by the Senate, leading to the decision to shut down academic activities.
The statement said, "Due to the refusal of students to compromise on their demands for 24-hour electricity and more, which the university's Senate finds unrealistic, the university will shut down indefinitely. Students must vacate the hostels immediately, but non-teaching staff and essential duty staff are not affected by this closure."
The power company BEDC PLC recently disconnected the university due to an outstanding bill of over N250 million. Previously, the institution was paying N80 million, but the increased bill led to a blackout and subsequent hardships for the students, sparking the protests.
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