Riot: Abia community denies involvement in destruction of MOUAU property

The people of Amaba Ime autonomous community in Ikwuano LGA of Abia State, have denied inciting or participating in the destruction of property belonging to Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, MOUAU, Umudike during the February 2024 riot.

Amaba Ime autonomous community, which is one of the land donors to the Federal University, said it was wrong for anyone to insinuate that its royal father and indigenes participated or encouraged the riot.

Speaking to the Investigative Panel probing the students’ riot, the traditional ruler of Ama Ime, Eze Emmanuel Otuwa said he had no prior knowledge of the riot, nor did he in any way encourage destruction of university property.

He noted that his community has been supportive of the development of MOUAU and therefore could not have incited students to destroy school property.

He said he would always support lasting peace in the institution but said that there should be equitable distribution and utilization of donated funds, for land donor communities, in proportion to the sizes of the lands they donated.

Also speaking at the Visitation Panel’s sitting, the President General of Amaba Ime, Christopher Ogwuegbu and another indigene, Professor Ogbonnaya Onuba said they were in support of verification exercise of students but said that it should be concluded before one or two weeks before the commencement of the semester examination.

Also speaking, the Chief Security Officer of Amaba Ime, Chikodi Obinna said that one of the factors that may have caused the riot was the harassment of students in lower levels by suspected cult members.

Responding, the Chairman of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Investigative Panel, Professor Ike Nwachukwu thanked Eze Otuwa and his community members for giving their accounts and also for the suggestions they made.

DAILY POST recalls that properties worth over 2 billion naira were destroyed during the February 2024 riot when students protested hike in school fees and verification policies before the last examination in the school.

However, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Maduebibisi Iwe said that the riot was hijacked by hoodlums to cause mayhem.

The destroyed properties included fence, exam halls, offices, bank buildings, vehicles, learning equipment, road median, electricity installation, among others.