The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has confirmed the death of a student, following the violent protest by students of the University of Uyo on Wednesday.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Umar Gwadabe, confirmed the death of the student in an interview with a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Uyo.
Gwadabe said that contrary to speculations that three students died, the police could confirm the death of one student.
He said that 45 students had been arrested by the police in connection with the protest.
The commissioner said that but for the timely intervention of the police, the protest would have engulfed the whole town.
“The police is duty bound to stop the protest from escalating from campus into town as the students tried to advance into the city.
“In this circumstance, the police did not do anything wrong,” he said.
The offices of the vice-chancellor, deputy vice-chancellor (administration) and council affairs unit were razed by the students during the protest.
A visit to the city campus of the university by NAN correspondent showed that 12 vehicles, some of them owned by the university were destroyed during the protest.
The students also destroyed equipment in the Exams and Records Unit, Finance and Accounts, Internal Audit and Cash Office of the institution.
The Computer Maintenance Department of the institution was also not spared, as hard discs and other facilities were removed by the students.
The peaceful protest over hike in transport fares which started early on Wednesday, degenerated, resulting to the destruction of property.
Speaking to NAN, the Chairman of the UNIUYO Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Mr Anyim Nwachukwu, said that he was not aware of what exactly led to the protest.
Nwachukwu said that when the crisis started, he and some lecturers “managed to escape from campus”.
He said that the union had not yet been briefed by management.
Apart from the radio announcement on Wednesday night, the university management has yet to issue any official statement on the crisis as at the time of this report.
