By Osaro oriri
The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Osayuki Oshodin has accused the Edo state government of demolishing the official residence he occupied, while in office, located in the GRA of the state capital.
The former VC said that the demolition affected four buildings on the street including his own while his personal belongings including books, assorted publications, electronic gadgets, furniture, bank documents and certificates were affected in the process.
Professor Osayuki ,while speaking with National Reformer’s correspondent, said the incident began at about 2pm on Monday afternoon while he was in residence. “I was here. They first of all came in the morning. Then the over 200 thugs started destroying buildings. Not even my library was spared. All my books right from Primary school, all were destroyed but I have packed the remnants away from there”.
Although the state government was yet to make a public comment on the demolition as at press time. other occupants of the properties adjacent to the VC’s that were also demolished accused the state government of being the sponsor of the demolition.
The demolition however, came in the wake of an appeal filed by the University challenging the ruling of a state High court in suit by the Edo state government over a large expanse of land which the defunct Midwest state government allegedly donated to the University in the seventies.
The state government won a prayer in the court that the property in dispute belongs to it, but no sooner had judgement been delivered than thugs went on rampage, invading the plots where academic staffers are residing and drove them out.
Meanwhile Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), of the University of Benin chapter, have lamented the resort to thuggery by state government officials in a bid to enforce a court ruling over the disputed plot of land.
The union in a statement by its chairman, Dr Anthony Monye-Emina, called on the law enforcement agencies to intervene in the matter to save academic staffers who are at this point, defenceless citizens being attacked on their fatherland.
“We write to the attention of the general public to the resort to lawlessness and gangsterism against some of our members on Friday, 19, December, 2014. For the information of the Public, the University of Benin was in court over landed properties in the GRA, Benin City and judgment was delivered on Tuesday 16th December, 2014. During the pendency of the matter, the residence was tempered with and we strongly believe that this is against the rule of law”
Emina said “The University of Benin promptly filled an appeal against the judgment of the High Court and appealed for a stay of execution on Wednesday, 17th December, 2014 which has been scheduled for determination sometime in January 2015″.
He said, “Our major concern is the inhuman and barbaric manner in which some academic staff were mercilessly beaten to stupor by hoodlums and their properties forcefully thrown out of their apartment even when the University of Benin is yet to be officially served the ruling of their High Court. This is summarily self-help without due recourse to the laws of the land.
Meanwhile, youths around Ogbe community have expressed their displeasures over the demolition action on the university don’s accommodation, embarked upon by the state government calling it an act of babarism and lack of human feeling by the state government.
One of of them who simply identified himself as Osarobo said that the state government has behaved as if it does not like the peace and stability in Edo state, as issues like this can lead to public rancour that could quickly diminish to communal clashes and other guise of organised violence.
