Killing of UNIPORT students: TUC calls for investigation

– The Trade Union Congress in Rivers state has called on various stakeholders to identify and prosecute those who killed the innocent protesting UNIPORT student

– The union asked the the vice chancellor of the school to resign if he cannot handle a mere student protest

The Rivers state chapter of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has condemned the unwarranted killing of a student of the University of Port Harcourt during a peaceful protest on Monday, April 11.

In a statement issued by its chairman, Chika Onuegbu, said: “We are worried that if three unarmed protesting students will be killed in cold blood then there is no guarantee that protesting workers or citizens will not be killed.

“We call on the authorities of the University of Port Harcourt, the Rivers state commissioner of police, the Inspector General of Police and the honourable minister for Education to as a matter of utmost urgency identify and prosecute those who killed the innocent protesting students.

“We note that students all over the world have the right to protest. And as a matter of fact, the right to peaceful protest is protected by the Nigerian constitution.

“We want to state categorically that if within 14 days our demand is not met, we shall convene an emergency TUC state council meeting and invite the state council to take a decision on this matter, including the decision to withdraw the services of all our members in Rivers state.”

TUC appealed to all parents, civil society organisations and people of good conscience to rise up against the unwarranted and cold blooded killing of these students, whose only offence was protesting against the policy of the authorities of the university.

TUC went further to state categorically that if the Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT cannot handle a mere student protest, then he should resign immediately.

Students of the University of Port Harcourt blocked all entry and exit leading into the school in protest of the hike in the university’s tuition fee and other levies.

The police were called in to contain the protest, which later turned violent and three students were reportedly killed.