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CLO Condemns Killing Of Four Students By Soldiers In Nasarawa

The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has condemned the killing of four students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and injuring of numerous others by armed soldiers and mobile policemen for protesting lack of water and electricity in the university.

In a statement emailed to Channels Television, the organisation said that it gathered from its sources in the university that for over three weeks, the university community had suffered non-availability of water and electricity supply without the authorities of the University either explaining the reasons for the lack of the essential amenities to the students and the entire community or making efforts to fix the problem or make alternative arrangement for the supply of the amenities before the students embarked on a peaceful protest to drive home their demand.

The statement said, “Angered by the students’ legitimate action, CLO learnt, the university authorities were said to have mobilised armed military and police personnel into the campus to forcefully kill and maim the students reminiscent of the 1986 ABU massacre. On the arrival of these armed soldiers and policemen on the university premises, they started shooting sporadically during which time four students were mowed down to death and several others injured.

“We are shocked at this barbaric action of the university authorities, especially deploying military officers to employ the use of excessive force to quell civil protest by armless students. CLO recalls that similar event had occurred in Ebonyi State early this year when the students of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, protested against over 300 percent increase in tuition and service fees by the university authorities in which CLO vehemently condemned the wickedness and called on the state government to investigate the crisis and bring culprits to book.

“In the similar manner, CLO hugely condemns the lawless and primitive actions of the authorities of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and calls on the CPC-led government in Nasarawa State to urgently set up a Commission of Enquiry which will include students’ true representatives, members of credible civil society organisations, the NBA, NUJ and National Human Rights Commission to probe into the crisis in order to get to root of the mayhem, discover and punish the perpetrators in line with the laws of our land, pay adequate compensations to the families of victims and their families and recommend ways to forestall future occurrences.”

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