NOUN delegation visits razed study centre in Imo

A delegation from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has visited the institution’s study centre at Ezeoke Nsu community, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, which was burnt on Monday by hoodlums.

A press statement issued by the Director of Media and Publicity, NOUN, Malam Ibrahim Sheme, in Abuja, indicated that the delegation visited the razed study centre on behalf of the management to ascertain the extent of the damage.

According to reports, the hoodlums burnt the study centre based on a rumour that the Federal Government wished to use it to house internally displaced persons from a section of the country.

They also set ablaze the country home of the immediate past senator for Imo North, Senator Frank Ibezim.

NOUN in the statement dispelled the rumour as the concoction of misguided elements and condemned the arson by the enemies of the community.

The statement further noted that it was never contacted by any government agency for such an inexistent measure.

Sheme said, “We are aware that the police have since swung into action to apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous crime.”

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Olufemi Peters, has reassured the students of the Ezeoke Nsu study centre and the general public that academic programmes there would not be interrupted by the sad occurrence.

He said, “Academic activities by our students in the Ezeoke Nsu study centre will continue unabated as they will be assigned to the study centres nearest to them.

“We sympathise with Senator Frank Ibezim over the razing of his residence by the hoodlums and pray to God to recompense him for his loss.

“We are grateful to the leaders and members of the Ezeoke Nsu community for their sympathy with and support for us in the current situation and assure them that their Study Centre will return ever more strong in the shortest possible time.”

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