Sources told SaharaReporters that the management had also reached out to the parents of the affected students' union leaders and were using the Department of State Services (DSS) to threaten them.
The management of Edo State's Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, has concluded plans to rusticate 16 members of the students' union leadership in the school for leading a protest against the hike in tuition fees, sources in the school told SaharaReporters.
SaharaReporters on Monday obtained one of the pages of the letter showing a list of the affected students' union leaders which was also copied to the university’s Vice Chancellor, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellors – Academic and Administration – among other top university officials.
The students' union leaders which the university is set to suspend include Oshioke Abdulfatai Ibrahim, Bahel Adaeze Princess, Edubamoh Lifted Oyinbo, Victor Orobosa Osakue, Oghenovo Andrew, Marcus Oluwadamilola, Theo-Doza Ekundayo Folorunsho, Osasumwen Emmanuel, and Emmanuel Enoghama.
Others are Igoh Christopher Osas, Adewole Adedayo, Olusegun Success, Ilegbodu Destiny, Abiola Oluwaseyi and Jimah Mubarak.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the management had also reached out to the parents of the affected students' union leaders and were using the Department of State Services (DSS) to threaten them.
“The DSS extracted the biodata of the students and called their parents, asking them to caution their children to withdraw from this struggle and stop asking the management to reverse the school fees. The DSS did that on Sunday,” one of the sources said.
But speaking with SaharaReporters, the school's Public Relations Officer, Otunba Mike Aladenika, denied the planned suspension of the students.
“I don’t know where you got that document from. As an image maker, I have sent the position, which affected the schools and the students. I don’t have such information. That circular that they are pushing around may be preemptive blackmail. The issue the management is treating as we speak is the meeting between some selected students and the DSS.
“Don’t forget that the student union had been dissolved before the school went on a compulsory break. From our records, students are at home,” he said.