We the ACF which is the principal body governing christian students activities and conduct on campus do write on OFFICIAL STATEMENT pertaining to the unrest that occurred on Sunday 04th February 2018.
We will narrate the incidence as a body who has been in picture of the entire event before and after the crisis occurred.
This is what happened:
Around October 2017 last year a WhatsApp message was circulated on a WhatsApp group from a female student of the Center of Distance Learning (CDL). The school management was Informed about the incidence but no action was taken the lady's life was threatened, she subsequently abandoned the program and didn't return back for her program. The matter seemingly was calmed down.
The same message was now shared on a WhatsApp group in Banking and Finance departmental group chat by a lady, death threats were sent to the lady she also absconded from the university and didn't write her exams.
Weeks later it was also shared in an Accounting Departmental group chat and the lady also received death threats by her departmental mates it was close to exams and she subsequently abandoned her program and left the university.
To the recent one which was shared on a Surveying and Geo-Informatics group chat January 2018 by two students, at this point the Muslim Ummah took the matter very serious and contacted the school management and the ACF about the matter though unofficially (not in written form). It took the intervention of several people for the matter to be cooled off. Few lecturers were involved in the mediation, as a large number of staffs turned a deaf ear towards the already boiling situation. The muslim and the Christians saw help wasn't forthcoming from the school management and they came together and dialogued and came to a peaceful conclusion. And the students who had fled for their life we're re-integrated back to the university. This occcured from 15th of January to 21st of January 2018. Many members of the Muslim and christian community weren't happy about the peaceful resolutions that was made. Many felt insulted and wanted vengeance. God helped us.
As we have stated as a body that the violence wasn't because of the SUG elections though it might have been a catalyst. The Election had its irregularities but it was still free. And the inauguration was peaceful and attended by all the aspirants.
Now to the event that caused the riot and the subsequent death of a Christian student Eric McBen of URP Department.
On Sunday 4th of February 2018.( A day before the commencement of the 2017/2018 1st semester examinations)
It was alleged that a 200L student of civil engineering Dave Wanjez posted the same blasphemous message to his departmental group.
(The young boy has raised alarm that his phone was hacked and the messages sent through his media platform to implicate him. And there has been several people yearning for his death, his pictures and phone number have been sent to various places calling for his death).
This led to a group of muslim students chanting at the Kabir Umar Mosque in MAUTECH. The mob became violent and attacked the Believers Love world (a.k.a Christ Embassy) fellowship center at LT. 1 and began stoning and breaking worship instruments and this led to several christian students who were fellowshipping at the Lecture Theater to be severely wounded and some we're hospitalized.
The mob grew larger and brought out fellowship instruments and set them on fire, and also LT. 1 and 2 were destroyed in the process. The mob made their way to SMIT LT 1&2 were Deeper Life Christian Fellowship was holding and destroyed vehicles and injured worshippers and burnt down all the musical instruments there and set the stores on fire which affected most of the Lecture halls.
The mob now moved into hostels and began beating students and destroying properties that belonged to any perceived enemy of their cause. Several attempts by Muslim clerics to call the mob to order proved negative. The mob moved down to the Trinity Chapel with intention of setting it ablaze. Christian students who we're at the chapel repelled the attack. And an attempt to burn down the Catholic church was also repelled.
At this point pandemonium struck all across the campus and places were set on fire. Girls and boys hostels we're vandalized.
Christian students who we're staying off campus came into the campuses and broke down the mosques at Oba Adetona and School of Agriculture and others we're vandalized by the students. At this point the military intervened. And shots we're fired and tear gas was used to dispatch students.
Several Miscreants took advantage of the situation and the menace spread to areas like Sabon Gari and Sangere and christian students we're attacked and the christian youths mobilized themselves and attacked also. The violence escalated.
Out of 14 Fellowships that operate inside the university campus 11 fellowships had their musical and worship materials completely burnt down to ashes. And a christian student was killed in the violence that ensured.
WE CONDOLE WITH THE FAMILY OF ERIC McBEN YOUR SON WAS OUR FRIEND AND BROTHER MAY HIS SOUL REST WITH THE LORD.
We choose to ignore the part of putting blames on anybody but we as a body makes the following recommendation to the school authorities:
1. A student disciplinary committee should be set up to discipline issues of religious misconduct. When students cheat in exams hall in less than fifteen minutes they appear before a panel but when a religion is blasphemed the matter is swept under the carpet. This attitude is wrong and must not be condoned. If a student is found guilty of such religious blasphemy he must be penalized by the committee. Its not our duty as students to judge our fellow students.
2. The School is mandated to provide worship centers for its students. And plots of lands for the various campus fellowships this demand has not yet been met by the university authorities. Until they are met we Will continue to fellowship at our respective places of worship.
3. Campus security should be available at all designated places of worship on the campus. And also their responses to issues is very poor. As its shown by the last event where they couldn't control the situation.
4. The university should collaborate with security agents outside the school and provide a better and secured environment for students.
5. The use of violence and killing of anyone who is perceived to abuse a religion or its symbols should be discouraged.
6. The SUG should be empowered and given its full constitutional right to be the voice of the students. The SUG must be a part of decisions that involves the well-being of the students.
7. Religious bodies such as the ACF and the MSSN should be a part of policies that affect the entire interests of the university. As they represent the entire collective Interest of both religion.
8. Social media posts should be censored. And actions should be taken against students who incite violence on such platforms.
9. The burnt instruments and properties of all the eleven campus fellowships MUST be paid in full by the school authorities.
Thanks for your love and patience at this trying times. We adjoin all Christians to remain at peace with one another and pray for peace.
Grace and Peace be multiplied to us all in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ The Son of God.
God Bless The Christian Community.
God Is for Us.
Christians die. Christianity lives on!!!
We will narrate the incidence as a body who has been in picture of the entire event before and after the crisis occurred.
This is what happened:
Around October 2017 last year a WhatsApp message was circulated on a WhatsApp group from a female student of the Center of Distance Learning (CDL). The school management was Informed about the incidence but no action was taken the lady's life was threatened, she subsequently abandoned the program and didn't return back for her program. The matter seemingly was calmed down.
The same message was now shared on a WhatsApp group in Banking and Finance departmental group chat by a lady, death threats were sent to the lady she also absconded from the university and didn't write her exams.
Weeks later it was also shared in an Accounting Departmental group chat and the lady also received death threats by her departmental mates it was close to exams and she subsequently abandoned her program and left the university.
To the recent one which was shared on a Surveying and Geo-Informatics group chat January 2018 by two students, at this point the Muslim Ummah took the matter very serious and contacted the school management and the ACF about the matter though unofficially (not in written form). It took the intervention of several people for the matter to be cooled off. Few lecturers were involved in the mediation, as a large number of staffs turned a deaf ear towards the already boiling situation. The muslim and the Christians saw help wasn't forthcoming from the school management and they came together and dialogued and came to a peaceful conclusion. And the students who had fled for their life we're re-integrated back to the university. This occcured from 15th of January to 21st of January 2018. Many members of the Muslim and christian community weren't happy about the peaceful resolutions that was made. Many felt insulted and wanted vengeance. God helped us.
As we have stated as a body that the violence wasn't because of the SUG elections though it might have been a catalyst. The Election had its irregularities but it was still free. And the inauguration was peaceful and attended by all the aspirants.
Now to the event that caused the riot and the subsequent death of a Christian student Eric McBen of URP Department.
On Sunday 4th of February 2018.( A day before the commencement of the 2017/2018 1st semester examinations)
It was alleged that a 200L student of civil engineering Dave Wanjez posted the same blasphemous message to his departmental group.
(The young boy has raised alarm that his phone was hacked and the messages sent through his media platform to implicate him. And there has been several people yearning for his death, his pictures and phone number have been sent to various places calling for his death).
This led to a group of muslim students chanting at the Kabir Umar Mosque in MAUTECH. The mob became violent and attacked the Believers Love world (a.k.a Christ Embassy) fellowship center at LT. 1 and began stoning and breaking worship instruments and this led to several christian students who were fellowshipping at the Lecture Theater to be severely wounded and some we're hospitalized.
The mob grew larger and brought out fellowship instruments and set them on fire, and also LT. 1 and 2 were destroyed in the process. The mob made their way to SMIT LT 1&2 were Deeper Life Christian Fellowship was holding and destroyed vehicles and injured worshippers and burnt down all the musical instruments there and set the stores on fire which affected most of the Lecture halls.
The mob now moved into hostels and began beating students and destroying properties that belonged to any perceived enemy of their cause. Several attempts by Muslim clerics to call the mob to order proved negative. The mob moved down to the Trinity Chapel with intention of setting it ablaze. Christian students who we're at the chapel repelled the attack. And an attempt to burn down the Catholic church was also repelled.
At this point pandemonium struck all across the campus and places were set on fire. Girls and boys hostels we're vandalized.
Christian students who we're staying off campus came into the campuses and broke down the mosques at Oba Adetona and School of Agriculture and others we're vandalized by the students. At this point the military intervened. And shots we're fired and tear gas was used to dispatch students.
Several Miscreants took advantage of the situation and the menace spread to areas like Sabon Gari and Sangere and christian students we're attacked and the christian youths mobilized themselves and attacked also. The violence escalated.
Out of 14 Fellowships that operate inside the university campus 11 fellowships had their musical and worship materials completely burnt down to ashes. And a christian student was killed in the violence that ensured.
WE CONDOLE WITH THE FAMILY OF ERIC McBEN YOUR SON WAS OUR FRIEND AND BROTHER MAY HIS SOUL REST WITH THE LORD.
We choose to ignore the part of putting blames on anybody but we as a body makes the following recommendation to the school authorities:
1. A student disciplinary committee should be set up to discipline issues of religious misconduct. When students cheat in exams hall in less than fifteen minutes they appear before a panel but when a religion is blasphemed the matter is swept under the carpet. This attitude is wrong and must not be condoned. If a student is found guilty of such religious blasphemy he must be penalized by the committee. Its not our duty as students to judge our fellow students.
2. The School is mandated to provide worship centers for its students. And plots of lands for the various campus fellowships this demand has not yet been met by the university authorities. Until they are met we Will continue to fellowship at our respective places of worship.
3. Campus security should be available at all designated places of worship on the campus. And also their responses to issues is very poor. As its shown by the last event where they couldn't control the situation.
4. The university should collaborate with security agents outside the school and provide a better and secured environment for students.
5. The use of violence and killing of anyone who is perceived to abuse a religion or its symbols should be discouraged.
6. The SUG should be empowered and given its full constitutional right to be the voice of the students. The SUG must be a part of decisions that involves the well-being of the students.
7. Religious bodies such as the ACF and the MSSN should be a part of policies that affect the entire interests of the university. As they represent the entire collective Interest of both religion.
8. Social media posts should be censored. And actions should be taken against students who incite violence on such platforms.
9. The burnt instruments and properties of all the eleven campus fellowships MUST be paid in full by the school authorities.
Thanks for your love and patience at this trying times. We adjoin all Christians to remain at peace with one another and pray for peace.
Grace and Peace be multiplied to us all in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ The Son of God.
God Bless The Christian Community.
God Is for Us.
Christians die. Christianity lives on!!!
