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UNIPORT Crisis: Report Indicts Prof, 13 Others
A police report has indicted former Dean, Student Affairs, University of Port Harcourt, Prof Andrew Efemini.
This follows the suspension of Efemini and 13 others by the Governing Council of the institution after they were indicted by police report over plans to incite students against the school authorities.
The Tide investigation reveals that problem began sometime in 2016 when some fee charges were made on students after online portal for fees payment had been shut down.
It was gathered that fee increment and portal shut down sparked agitation by the students, as Efemini supported the students to prevail on the school authorities to rescind their decision.
However, a student was said to have died during one of the protests in 2016, but another protest by the students during then Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo’s visit in July, 2017, had irked the authorities who considered the action supported by Efemini as an embarrassment.
After an investigation which followed due process and the governing council approval, The Tide learnt that the Professor of Philosophy, who had always taken sides with students’cause, was suspended, together with Enoch Fubara and 12 others.
It was learnt that the suspension was sequel to a police report which indicted them, saying that their action showed intent “to cause breach of peace.”
A senior official of the university, who confirmed the development to The Tide, explained that the closure of the school fees online portal was normal, adding, “We rent the portal, we don’t have power to keep it online indefinitely.”
The source, who does not want his name in print, added that because of pressure and pleading by students, “We have to ask the portal management to open it for two weeks, and that means we have to pay.”
The source, when asked whether Efemini was suspended by the school, affirmed, “Yes, he was suspended for three months because a report indicted him. It was not the Vice Chancellor that did so, but the school Governing Council.”
According to the official, it was not only Efemini that was suspended, “There is one professor in Fine Arts and Design that was also suspended. And he was placed on half salary, and once he is exonerated, his backlog will be paid to him.”
The source told The Tide that the suspension would have been due for lifting if not for the strike by Administrative Staff of the school.
Meanwhile, Efemini has reacted to the claim that he was inciting students, saying that the allegation was baseless.
In a telephone interview with The Tide, Wednesday, the former chairman of Academia Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), accused the school vice chancellor of manipulating the police report, insisting that he also “failed to do things rightly”.
Efemini challenged the institution’s authorities to charge him to court, if actually they were convinced that he was culpable in the alleged matter.
“They have frustrated me, but I believe I will get back to my work soon, and I would not speak on certain matters. All those claims are baseless,” he maintained.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.