The management of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), has suspended the students’ union government of the institution indefinitely.

The suspension order is in connection with the incident that occurred at the University’s senior staff club on Friday 12 April, 2024.

In the incident, the students’ union president was said to have led some of the students to invade an interactive session by staff of the University with the Edo state governorship candidate of Labour Party, Olumide Akpata.

In the process, the students allegedly demanded a halt of the event, claiming that they (students’ union) were not duly informed of the event.

The students were said to have behaved unruly at the event and in the process, rough-handled many of the stuff, including a member of the Academic Staff of the Universities (ASUU), who was reportedly beaten to a pulp and eventually landed in the hospital.

Following the incident, the management of the University set up a panel to investigate the incident with a view to unraveling the crux of the issue.

The University’s Registrar, A.A. Bobola, announced the indefinite suspension order on the students’ union in a statement on Monday April 29, 2024.

The statement read:

“After due consideration of the report by the Management, the Vice Chancellor has approved the suspension of the University’s Students Union.

The suspension which is indefinite, takes immediate effect, that is, from today, Monday 29th April, 2024.

“Accordingly, all officers of the Students’ Union are to handover all properties of the Union in their possession to the Dean, Students’ Affairs not later 4.00 pm on Tuesday 30 April, 2024.

“In the interim, a caretaker committee composed of representatives of faculties, schools and institutes has been approved to coordinate students’ activities during the period of suspension.

“The above directive of the Vice Chancellor is hereby communicated for the attention of the University community and compliance of the erstwhile union officers as appropriate.”