No fewer than 450 students of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State were whisked off the campus on Monday by riot policemen following Sunday’s violence on the school’s campus.
This was just as it was learnt that a congress of the school had resolved on the way forward for the ongoing semester examination that was disrupted by the violence.
Inside sources told The Eagle Online that most of those suspected to have partaken in the violence that left several vehicles and other properties damaged, including the Potter’s Lodge, were arrested by the riot policemen deployed to quench the violence.
It was however learnt that some of those arrested have been released.
Some of those arrested were picked up at past 6pm on Monday.
Some were arrested for being in possession of camouflage uniforms.
A congress was also held on Monday evening.
The congress was attended by lecturers and students, with no principal officer of the school present.
It was resolved that the semester examination that was suspended on Monday will resume on Tuesday.
The papers missed on Monday will now be taken on Saturday and the students are to vacate the campus immediately the papers are over on Saturday.
The examination was scheduled to end initially on Friday.
A statement by the management of the institution on Monday evening blamed the violence on students who were not doing well academically.
The statement, signed by the school’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Tunde Olofintila, said the management will not close down the institution based on its policy of non-interruption of its academic activities.
However, this is contrary to information available to The Eagle Online.
It was gathered that the violence was triggered by a business deal gone sour over the purchase of marijuana among two male students.
This was contained in an earlier report on the violence by The Eagle Online.
Inside sources told The Eagle Online that over 70 per cent of students of the institution, including female, are into drugs, especially marijuana.
The statement by Olofintila reads: “Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), a 21st Century modern University which places high premium on Academic, learning, Research and character, has rules and regulations which must be obeyed at all material times.
“To give vent to the all-important academic aspect of the University’s business, it is a well-known convention or culture among members of the ABUAD community that students cannot score less than 1.5 CGPA. Those who are within this unacceptable range of academic performance are therefore encouraged to do better so that they can be what the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN and Management want them to be in future, great men and woman.
“The Founder therefore goes as far as awarding cash Awards of N500,000 to those with 5.0 CGPA, N250,000 to those with 4.8 CGPA and N100,000 for those with 4.5 CGPA. It is on record that there are students who have collected this largesse for two to four years consecutively.
“However, there were some skirmishes on Campus on Sunday night. As it is in some public Universities, the said skirmishes was engineered and orchestrated by those who were not doing well academically and who are not prepared to improve on their academic performance.
“It must be emphasized here that the University’s First Semester Examinations which commenced two weeks ago are programmed to be rounded off this weekend after which the students would proceed on their First Semester Break.
“But rather than continue with the examination, those with low Academic grades, some of who did not have clearance certificates for the First Semester and/or who did not register for the First Semester examination,went on rampage and in the process vandalized some University’s property, the cost of which is being assessed.
“We want to assure all parents, well-wishers and stakeholders that the situation has been put under control with people going about their business without let or hindrance.
“In consonance with our well-respect culture of uninterrupted academic calendar, the examinations will go on, contrary to their plan, and Management will not close down the six-year old institution of Higher Education.”