The management of Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, in Rivers State has suspended four students for one academic session for assaulting a 300-level colleague, Victor Tobin.
In a statement by the Acting Registrar, I.B. Harry, on Saturday, disclosed that the decision was made at a meeting held on Friday.
The suspended students are Monsi Baridukaka Nwaaelibabari from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Victor Chibuike Daniel from the Department of Animal Science, Ezems Ikechukwu Goodluck from the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Wilson Jacob Ree-Ugani from the Department of Marine Engineering.
These students, who are members of the Man O’ War campus security group, were suspended for allegedly assaulting and inflicting physical injury on Victor Tobin, a 300-level student of the Department of Sociology. The incident occurred on June 12, 2024, at Hostel F within the university campus.
The university’s acting registrar stated that the actions of the four students were deemed contrary to the university’s regulations, leading to their suspension. She also called on the student population to continue living in peace and harmony and to comply scrupulously with all university rules and regulations.
Meanwhile, hundreds of students had earlier staged a protest on Thursday over the alleged brutalisation of their colleague by officials of the Man O’ War. The protestors, including female students, gathered at the Man O’ War office, demanding an explanation for Tobin’s treatment and calling for the disbandment of the campus security outfit.
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Eyewitnesses reported that the incident started when Tobin allegedly walked on the pavement near the Man O’ War office, prompting an aggressive response from the personnel. Despite Tobin’s inquiries about his offence, he was reportedly beaten, resulting in a cut and swelling under his right eye. Many students learned of the incident later that evening and visited Tobin at the school medical facility, where he was receiving treatment.
By Thursday morning, news of the assault had spread across the campus, sparking immediate protests. The demonstrators declared they would not tolerate any of their peers being manhandled and demanded swift action to address the alleged human rights abuses by the Man O’ War personnel.
When Channels Television contacted the Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, on whether any arrests were made concerning the matter, she
