Bowen University Sets Up Probe Panel To Investigate Cause Of Students' Protest

The management of the Bowen University, Iwo in Osun State has set up a panel to investigate the cause of the March 19 and 20 protest by the students of the university.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Mathews Ojo, said this at a press conference he addressed in Iwo on Wednesday evening.

He said the panel which will also include two representatives of the students was headed by the Dean of Science, Prof, Samuel Ilori.

He added that the university had also planned to hold stakeholders and parents meeting at Ibadan, Lagos and Osogbo from March 28 to 31.

Ojo, who debunked the speculation in some quarters that increment in school fees caused the riot said that the first set of students; IJMB and final year students would resume back to the campus on April 1, while 100 level students would resume on April 8, 200 and 300 level students on April 14.

He said any students accused of taking part in the riot would be given opportunity to defend themselves before the panel.

The vice chancellor said the inability of some students to watch the European Champions League match due to power outage in a section of the male hostel prompted some student to mobilise others to protest.

He explained that management had been spending a huge money to fuel the diesel powered generator to provide electricity supply to the campus although the supply was not available for 24 hours.

He stated that the protest which started at about 8pm on Wednesday night was brought under control around 10.30pm, but some students continued the protest the following day when they found out that some students who looted some shops had been arrested by the police.

The VC said that power supply to Iwo town had been very irregular since the rainstorm of March 12, but the university had been supplying electricity through its generators and it had sunk 29 boreholes.

"Any student accused of any wrong doing in connection with the disturbance will be given opportunity to defend himself or herself for justice to take its cause.

"We appreciate the understanding of the parents of our students. We also assure them that the safety and security of their children is paramount in our agenda and we will not fail them. The university's commitment to academic excellence and Godliness in character will continue to be upheld," he said.