The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, has leveled serious accusations against a senior government official of the state government, alleging their involvement in orchestrating the violent attack that occurred on Friday afternoon at the University of Benin.
During an interactive session organized by the University of Benin Staff Club, Akpata was violently interrupted, leading to a crisis within the school premises. In a viral video released on Saturday, Akpata stated that a senior lecturer who sustained injuries as a result of the attack is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Benin.
Akpata vehemently denied allegations that his security personnel shot a student on the campus, emphasizing that the claims were baseless. He clarified that the disruption of the event was instigated by hoodlums who claimed to be students of the University of Benin.
According to Akpata, the interruption of the event was a premeditated act orchestrated by certain individuals linked to the Edo State government, particularly during the election season. He called out the senior official directly, challenging them to acknowledge their involvement.
In response to the incident, the Students Union Government of UNIBEN expressed dissatisfaction with the unauthorized use of students for campaign purposes and noted that the President of UNIBEN Staff Club is being questioned by the appropriate authority.
The management of UNIBEN condemned the violence and has initiated an investigation to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the incident. A committee, headed by Prof Frederick Ekhaise, has been established with a one-week mandate to submit a report to the university’s management.