By Our Correspondent
Protesting youths of Ndufu-Alike Community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State Tuesday blocked the road leading to the entrance gate of the Alex-Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State preventing staff and students from gaining access into the school campus.
The irate youths numbering more than 100 blocked the entrance gate of the University to protest the ban by the University Management of commercial tricycle operators, (Keke) and Commercial motorcyclist, Okada from plying inside the school campus.
They chanted protest songs and blocked the road with drums, logs of wood, tyres and other items.
The ban which was placed on Keke and Okada operators from plying inside the campus about 2 months ago was as a result of complaints by lecturers and students of the institution over alleged molestation, harassment and intimidation of the operators who are youths of the host community.
Speaking to journalists on the incident, the Public Relations Officer, PRO of the Institution, Mr. Ikechukwu Ubochi said that the blockade lasted between 7am and 10am adding that the unfortunate incident caused panic and tension within and around the school environment.
“This morning at about 7am, we came to work only to realize that youths of Ndufu-Alike Community had blocked the road leading to the school entrance gate. On inquiry, they said that the blockade is to protest the ban by the University Management of Okada and Keke plying inside the School campus.
“Yes the management last two months banned them from entering inside the university campus. We have had cases of them beating up a lecturer and a student over minor arguments. They don’t adhere to any of the rules of the school because they have this believe that they have the same right with management being the host community.
“There has been other complaints from lecturers and students of the nuisance many of them constitute within the school environment. The university is supposed to be a quite environment but many of the Keke operators have loud speakers inside their Keke and they usually put it in a very high volume disturbing the peace of the school.
“There have been cases of using commercial motorcycles to rob and dispose people of theIr valuables. cult members most times make use of okaka to attack and kill students and other individuals and escape unhurt. So, Management based on the trending issues resolved to stop the movement of Okada inside the school environment.
“So I see the protest as needless and uncalled for. Because whatever that prompted the ban was masterminded by them.
Mr. Ubochi commended the Nigerian Police Force and the military for bringing the situation under control. “The Nigeria Police Force and the military had to move in after about 3 hours and restored normalcy in the area.
When contacted, the Spokesperson for the protesting youths, Ejike Njoku expressed sadness over the decision of the school management to ban them from plying inside the school adding that the decision was taken without any recourse to them.
He noted that the University took their lands, built the institution and refused to give them jobs. “We decided to protest to express our anger on the school management for failing to give the youths of the host community jobs.
“It is our right to ply inside the School campus since we don’t have any other job. They banned us without any consultation and recourse to the plight it will cause on us.
“The campus is a large environment that should have it’s own means of transportation. We were rendering that service until about two months ago, they asked us to stop plying within the campus.
