rate Youths of Umuchima in Ihiagwa Autonomous Community and Umuanunu in Obinze Autonomous Community both in Owerri-West local government area went on rampage on Wednesday May7 destroying properties of federal University of technology, Owerri.
According to an eye witness account who monitored the incident the youths who were in their hundreds armed with dangerous weapons and chanting war songs gathered at the school senate building pledging to make the school environment uncomfortable for the authorities unless their demands were met.
Part of the demands include that the school authorities should leave the heritage parcels of land where some structures are currently being erected stating that the school is encroaching on their land without adequate compensation and that the school management must as a matter of urgency give employments to their youths who are qualified as well as pay them the stipulated entitlements due for the communities.
Meanwhile, the school authority during a press briefing and assessment of the damage effected on school properties by the irate youths, the school Vice Chancellor, Prof Chigozie C. Asiabaka expressed dissatisfaction over the massive destruction which he described as bad, unwarranted and unexpected. He pointed out that FUTO has not encroached into the host community’s land stressing that FUTO belongs to the Federal Government and will remain there.
Prof. Asiabaka maintained that the members of the community overran the school premises at the early hours of the day and destroyed school property worth millions of naira.
However, Chief Ifejika Eric, CEO investment industrial Amalgamation Ltd a contract firm handling the project of the 300 Housing unit for FUTO staff quarters recently pulled down by the irate youths revealed that properties worth over N35 million were destroyed. He however listed that over 400 bags of cements, were charted away while a tractor worth over N35 million naira was also vandalized beyond repair during the protest.
