There was pandemonium in the late hours of Thursday, 17th December at the Amino Kano hostel (Hall 3), University of Benin.
It all started when news filtered in that the President of the Student Union Government, University of Benin,(SUG UNIBEN) Comrade Raymond Omorogbe, was assaulted by policemen at the Ugbowo Police Station, located around the school environs, while attempting to secure the bail of a UNIBEN student who had earlier been arrested by the police.
While it could not be ascertained what the offence of the detained student was, or the circumstances that culminated with the assault on the President, some of the residents of Hall 3 were visibly shocked and angry on hearing of the incident.
One of the boys who was calm enough to speak with ULP reporters remarked, "Police have started again, first of all they arrested one of our own and in turn slapped our President whose intention was to bail him out. Why do they keep doing this to students? Why? This rubbish must stop".
Another bared out his feelings thus: "now this is bad, because it's the President that is why we're hearing about it. In fact what is it with Police and students? That's how Osifo (former SUG President 2012/2013) was slapped then by Police and the Dean of Students had to step in to placate students when they were on their way to protest that injustice, now its Raymond they have slapped. This is becoming a routine".
In an outburst another angry student stated: "this is unacceptable, President Raymond that we voted massively for, the same Raymond that led us on a peaceful protest with regards to the unsafe nature of the Ugbowo-Lagos road path at main gate that claimed the life of one of our students, he was the one that agitated for renovation of the hostels which is still ongoing, now in performance of his goodwill (securing bail of a detained student), Police now decided to assault him, decided to shame all UNIBEN students, and they think we will keep quiet, they think we are fools?
Confirming the incident, Osayuki King, the Attorney General of the Union spoke with ULP reporters...
"Yes, the president was assaulted, he was assaulted in the course of trying to bail someone, alleged to be a student of UNIBEN, however, the commissioner of police, Edo state, was also briefed of the issue on ground and eventually, the matter was handled diplomatically and it was all settled amicably.
The police officer in question has been placed in a cell since the incident, he was released only yesterday. Also, he would be transferred and most likely demoted"
An aide of the SUG who pleaded anonymity also confirmed the incident. He relayed to ULP that the SUG President was truly assaulted on thursday, in the course of trying to secure the bail a of student.
However on Friday morning, the Attorney General, the Secretary General, the President himself and other top SUG officials in full force, were at the Ugbowo police station. He remarked that the assault on the President was indirectly an assault on the Student Union Government which is of course every UNIBEN student. Rather than follow the 'rule of thumb', they decided to follow the course of peace and amicable settlement. He asserted that the DPO has apologized for the ugly incident and the officer who committed the assault had already been put in a prison cell, he will be sanctioned, transferred and probably even be demoted. Another officer linked to the incident also has been locked up and will be dealt with accordingly.
He also said that some of their demands were met, and others that where not, they decided to let go. "We could have pressed for damages to be paid as a result of the assault, for example, the repair of the phone screen which was damaged, and other things. Nevertheless, the SUG of the University of Benin and the police have always had a cordial relationship. There are times when students have been arrested and the SUG got them out for free (even times when they were culpable), so we don't want to press now for things and later, if and when such a situation arises and we have to get a student out, then the Police (remembering this incident) insist also on full enforcement".
He assured that "everything has been resolved amicably, and there is no course for alarm. The SUG is always committed to the welfare of the students within and outside the school and hopefully will continue to champion their cause".
Details as to what transpired exactly between the President and the officer in question, which culminated in the assault and the nature of assault are still very sketchy. Meanwhile the DPO of the Ugbowo Police station at press time could not be reached for comments on the issue.
Report by josh.
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