By Vincent Ujumadu, Nnamdi Ojiego & Bartholomew Madukwe
...as authorities shut school following violent clash
AWKA – SEVEN students of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, were seriously injured and property worth millions of naira destroyed yesterday during a clash between students and people of the community who allegedly used masquerades to attack the former in their hostels during a local festival.
Following the clash, authorities of the institution have announced immediate closure of the institution till April 10, 2012, to allow for tempers to cool.
At press time, eight persons, including some officials of Oko Improvement Union and a lecturer in the Polytechnic, who is an indigene of Oko, had been arrested by the police in connection with the disturbances.
An official of the state police command, Mr. Tope Fasugba, said those arrested were in possession of pump action rifles and machetes.
Fasugba said some of the villagers were also threatening to burn down the police station in the area if the people arrested were not released, even as other youths in the town were said to be going to the various hostels to harass the students.
A detachment of the police and army have been sent to the area to ensure that the riot did not escalate as there were threats that the masquerades were regrouping to attack the students last night.
Many vehicles were damaged and goods in many shops in the nearby market destroyed and littered along the Oko-Umunze road, while bonfires set by the students hampered movement in the area.
Most of the students who wished to leave the town were stranded as there were no vehicles to convey them. Authorities of the school, however, came to their rescue as they decided to mobilize the school vehicles to convey the students out of Oko.
Narrating the incident to newsmen, the Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, Mr. Obini Onuchukwu, said: "At about 7.00pm yesterday (Sunday), we received information that students were being attacked by masquerades in Oko. We got in touch with the President General to find out the reason for the attack.
"We were informed that what instigated the problem was the incessant flogging of students by masquerades. We therefore decided to mobilize both police and army and the situation is under control.
"We have also declared few days break for the students while we are negotiating with the natives to ensure that peace returned."
President General of Oko Improvement Union, Mr. Cyprian Nwanmuo, who described the incident as unfortunate, urged the police to release officials of the town union who were arrested over the incident.
He said as the community got information that there was tension in the town when the festival drew near, there was a meeting to find a way of nipping it in the bud, regretting that the action of the students escalated the situation.
Vice president of the Students Union Government, SUG, Miss Vivian Ibiene, said the incident had become an annual recurrence, adding that at this time every year, students of Oko Poly were unnecessarily attacked for no justifiable reason.
She wondered why the students should be the target of the masquerades, pleading with government and prominent people in the community to find a lasting solution to the problem.
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