Unrest in Benue State University Over Shooting of Student Leader

The National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS) on Monday protested the poor handling of its National President, Smith Tyonor, who was shot by unknown persons in Makurdi.

A student leader, Robert Faga, told journalists at BSU First Gate, that all they wanted from the management was to transfer the victim to a secured hospital.

Faga said the student leader was not a cultist and was also not shot by cultists but rather claimed it might be sponsored by other factional NUBESS union group.

" We are protesting because they shot our president and the school is not taking a drastic action towards that. They said that they shot our president outside the school campus.

"We want the school management to take care of his treatment and security because he is not in a secured place. They are not giving him full attention too."he said

He said the issue was a security one and needed to be treated with all seriousness adding that BSUTH lacked proper security to guaranteed the victims safety while in the hospital.

However, the Dean of Student Affair, Professor Joseph Kerker, said the National President of NUBESS was shot outside the university by unknown gunmen.

He said from the report they got, Tyonor was shot by two persons who were on a motorbike while he was walking by the street opposite the school of health sciences.

Kerker said Tyonor was shot on the head.

According to the dean, the institution was surprise over the protesting student owning to the fact that the university has provided all needed impetus for the treatment of the union leader and said he was in a stable condition and responding to treatment.

He the matter was reported to the police who have opened up investigation while the student has been  has been moved to Abuja to undergo more treatment.

He added that situation in the school has returned back to normalcy following an agreement with the students.

Tser Vanger, the university’s Information Officer also said that the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academics, Prof Edward Omudu has already addressed the protesting students.

Vanger said that the university has met the demands of the students by transferring the shot student leader to a more secured hospital in Abuja.