The Management of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, (MOUAU) Umuahia, Abia State has announced an indefinite closure of the institution.The Vice Chancellor Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, in a statement said, the decision to close the institution and suspend all academic activities is to prevent hoodlums from hiding under students protests to destroy lives and property of innocent people.
It was gathered that students started a protest on Monday February 5, 2024, which continued unabated on Tuesday February 6. following the increase of school fees and the “No – fees- no exams policy” put in place by the management of the university.
The protest, which was on Monday restricted to the University Campus, however, saw the students block the ever busy Ikot Ekpene/ Umuahia road on Tuesday, which resulted in a heavy traffic grid lock.
Some students who commented said that owing to the current difficult situation, they had appealed to the University authorities to allow them sit for examination, while continuing to make efforts to pay, before the end of the examination period which the management failed to listen to. The protest erupted when the Vice Chancellor decided to personally supervise the eviction of students from examination halls for non- payments of school fees.
