The University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State, Nigeria has indefinitely suspended academic activities following escalating student protests over prolonged power outages and increased transportation fares.
Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, UNIBEN’s Public Relations Officer, announced the shutdown on Thursday, July 4, 2024, citing the students’ refusal to adjust their demands. “The insistence of students on unrealistic demands, including 24-hour electricity supply, has led to the decision to suspend academic activities indefinitely,” Ehanire said in the statement.
Students began their protests on Wednesday, blocking the busy Benin-Ore Highway to express frustration over weeks of campus blackouts, which they argued were hampering their preparation for upcoming first-semester exams. “We are expected to study and prepare for exams, but how can we do that without electricity?” one student protester told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). “The power outages are making it impossible to concentrate.”
The students also demanded a reduction in the recently increased UNIBEN shuttle service fares. “We need affordable transport options, especially now that we are already dealing with so many other issues,” another student said during the protest.
The power issues stem from a dispute with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) over sharply rising electricity bills, which have soared from about N80 million to between N200 million and N280 million per month. This forced the university to rely on power generators and ration electricity across its campuses and hostels.
Despite heavy rain, students remained resolute in their demonstrations, insisting they would continue until their demands were met. “We won’t stop until the administration listens to us and addresses these problems,” a student leader declared amidst the protest.
Ehanire emphasized the necessity of the shutdown: “Students are to vacate the hostels immediately. However, non-teaching staff and staff on essential duties are not affected by the shutdown,” she clarified.
