By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Dozens of female students of the University of Maiduguri were injured following a protest over an increase in tuition fee by the management of the institution.
The students were said to have embarked on a peaceful protest on Monday over the increase of tuition fees by the management but they were later dispersed and arrested
According to eyewitnesses, some female students who joined their colleagues in the protest sustained various degree of injuries, when security operatives of the institution stormed the protesters to stop them with the intention to disperse the protesters with minimum force but ended up arresting and detaining some of them.
One of the female students (name withheld) disclosed to journalists on campus that “, the management increased the tuition fee with N500, while we are suffering from poor electricity and water supply on campus”, she said.
Another female victim said, “I was sexually harassed by security men while the protest was going on, I was also locked in the school prison over fighting for our right.”
“While at the school prison, I saw sick female students who were really tortured by the institution security men, they took our ID cards, tortured us because we were protesting for our right”.
“Am highly disappointed in University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) management board, what wrong have we committed by protesting for the increase of tuition fee and requesting for improvement for light and water”.
“We are only protesting for the increase of tuition fee, the global world knows that we are facing insurgency in the state that has brought darkness to our life in the institution”.
Another eyewitness confirmed to newsmen that most of the female students were sexually harassed by the school security men, saying,” while the protest was going on, the security men stripped some female students naked in the public.”
However, the school management according to a report, have revoked the female protesters bed space on campus over the peaceful protest pending further necessary action on the matter.
Efforts to get the Chief Security Officer of the University to speak on the matter failed at the time if going to press and no press release has been issues in the matter so far by the management of the school.
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