Following the recent incidents of cult killings in the state-owned Rivers State University, Governor and visitor to the institution, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday announced the sacking of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Blessing Didia and his Deputy, Prof. Magnus Oruwari with immediate effect.
The Governor approved the appointment of Prof. Opuenebo B. Owei, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the university.
A statement signed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dagogo Hart, added that the governor also suspended the ongoing employment exercise at the university.
Furthermore, a committee was set up to investigate the employment exercise and report to the Governor in two weeks.
Wike had last week queried the Vice-Chancellor over reports of shooting within the school’s campus in which a 300 level Marine Engineering Student commonly known as Montana Million was killed.
The governor had directed the Vice-Chancellor to respond to the query in writing within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the Rivers Civil Society Organisations (RIVSCO) has proposed a five-point agenda to the state government and the management of universities in the state, necessary for stamping out cult violence on campuses in the state.
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In a statement signed by its Chairman, Enefaa Georgewill and made available to Tribune Online at the weekend RIVSCO s stated: “After a careful analysis of the atrocious killings going in our campuses in Rivers State University, RIVSCO suggests the following:
“That the Rivers State Government in partnership with the universities in Rivers state should install solar CVTV cameras and other solar-based modern devices in and around our campuses; government and security agencies should as provided by law lay off the old security personnel and employ well trained young and technology inclined security personnel required for a university as practiced the world over.”
The statement added: “Government and school management should provide new operational vehicles and mobile radios for security personnel as most of the security gadgets are old and obsolete; school management should follow due process in arresting and prosecuting the real gang members and not arrest students activists and tag them cultists because they are campaigning for students welfare on campus.”
RIVSCO calls on school management and government to reintroduce students activities like independent student union, school games, debates, sponsoring of students to foreign and national competitions and research in order to engage the young minds in meaningful activities and stop them from social vices like joining cultism and gangs.”
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