Videos obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday show soldiers brutalising the students and several damaged vehicles. Some students were assaulted and brutalised by soldiers with sticks, cables, belts and other weapons.
Nigerian soldiers have reportedly brutalised students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) over the struggle to make withdrawals at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in the school.
Videos obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday show soldiers brutalising the students and several damaged vehicles. Some students were assaulted and brutalised by soldiers with sticks, cables, belts and other weapons.
WATCH: Nigerian Soldiers Brutalise Students Of University of Benin, Damage Several Vehicles On Campus #uniben pic.twitter.com/uxaeXfI8OK
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) February 3, 2023
One of the brutalised students was left with a broken head, with blood dripping from his head all over his body.
Meanwhile, eyewitness accounts said the incident began when a group of soldiers entered the university and attempted to use ATMs.
One Mahnuel (@Mah_nuel_001) in a Twitter post said, “Here is the story! A set of soldiers came into school (one at a time), going to different ATM stand to forcefully use it, when one withdraws, he goes to call another one.
“A student was holding her phone, so they thought she was recording them, they called their female counterpart to beat her up. Luckily, they were close to crime office, and they (uniben police) quickly came to her rescue.
“The soldiers then said why will they intrude in their matter? That what right do UNIBEN securities have to remove the lady in question, that they were punishing. Then it’s got messy at that point! Everybody begin para, and they began to attack each other.
"Currently Uniben main gate is not the safest place to be as soldiers have threaten to take all of us (the students) to army barracks!”
It was learnt that the soldiers started attacking students and damaging vehicles in the school, particularly breaking their windscreens and windows.
“They also beat some students to into coma," a student said.
Uniben currently on shut down X
Here is the story! A set of soldiers came into school (one at a time), going to different ATM stand to forcefully use it, when one withdraws, he goes to call another one. A student was holding her phone, so they thought she was recording them,
— Master Justin (@MasterJustin16) February 2, 2023
Reacting in a statement on Friday, the Vice Chancellor of the school, Professor Lilian Salami appealed for calm, noting that the management was already discussing with the authorities of S & T Army Barracks to resolve the issue.
The statement said, “The unfortunate incident of the clash between some students of our university and soldiers on Thursday 2nd February, resulting from alleged resistance of students to the soldiers’ attempt to jump ATM queues on campus has been brought under control and the Management of the University is in discussions with the hierarchy of the S & T for amicable resolution.
“The Management acknowledges that these are challenging times for everyone and enjoins all to remain calm while efforts are being made to avert a re- occurrence.
“Management also calls on the students to constantly engage dialogue in resolving issues that concern them rather than taking to protests, at any provocation, thereby causing more injury and damage to themselves and other citizens.”