The last has not been heard on the alleged torture of two students of Madonna University, Akpugo Campus, Enugu State, Nigeria by officials of the institution as more revelations have come to light in the wake of the story published by Sunday Sun on August 9, 2015, even as it has continued to generate ripples across the country and beyond.
Apart from drawing the attention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Abuja, which addressed a press conference on the issue and summoned the Madonna University authorities to appear before it on August 17, 2015, there is growing outrage against the institution over the story.
Already, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to mobilize its members across the country for the mother of all protests which would eventually lead to the shutting down of the university unless the authorities redress the wrongs done to Stanley Okoye and Lord Aondofa Ga-lim and as well as review some of its administrative actions that undermine the welfare of its students.
National President of NANS, Mr. Tijani Usman, who spoke to Sunday Sun, said due process would be followed in all their actions while ensuring that justice is done in the matter. He said NANS Executive Council has met with the President of Madonna University Alumni Association, who has given a commitment that the issues would be sorted out amicably.
“He told us that we should take it easy because of the image of the university but we also made it clear to him that we can shut down the school. We stated that the victimized students should be allowed to graduate with their certificates, that they should be given adequate protection while in campus; moreover, they should be paid adequate compensation. The university must stop any other form of molestation or maltreatment in the institution,” he said.
Also speaking to Sunday Sun, a concerned alumnus, Chuma Achu said though the alumni association was pained over the situation, it has been in touch with the university authorities to find a way of handling the situation and starting on a clean slate.
He noted that the Vice Chancellor of the university confirmed that despite what happened, Stanley and Aondofa are still bona fide students of the university.
Meanwhile, torrents of reactions have been trailing the torture story with some respondents giving more chilling accounts of what they passed through in Madonna University in the past.
While some of the people who contacted the reporter are still students of the university, quite a number have graduated. The current undergraduates among them and even some of the graduates pleaded anonymity for fear of expulsion or being denied their transcripts when they apply for the vital document.
One of the respondents who wrote to Sunday Sun with his full identity but has been deliberately given an assumed name, ‘Bosco’ had this to say (please note, dear reader that some of the unprintable things he said, have been withheld by us): “I write today on behalf of the present Madonnites whose voice can’t be heard and those who are afraid to speak because of the fear of explusion. One thing for sure is that I knew and also know most of the victims of such horrible atrocities. This isn’t the first time such thing is happening in Madonna University and to be sincere with you, it won’t be the last. To be honest with you, my orientation changed after six years in that institution.
“Priests and Reverend Sisters in the school are involved in espionage activities, all trying to blackmail their colleagues for higher positions. The moment you enter the institution as a student, the atmosphere is choking, far different from the previous one you just felt outside the school gate. Well, I guess that’s a psychological problem and a topic for another day. My first three years were spent at Elele campus and believe me, that was one hell of a ride. Then came this Akpugo (the promise land), then I was in my third year (300 Level) that was when it all began.
“Everything changed from bad to worse. We were being forced against our own will to go to morning mass every blessed day. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s a bad idea to pray or give thanks to your Creator every day. It’s the manner at which they drive you out of your bed in the morning. At exactly 5:30am you will start hearing all manner of voices shouting and bangs at various doors. If you struggle out of your bed and get to the tap to wash your face and brush your teeth and its 5:45am, your phone will be seized and you will be forced to serve various punishments like cutting grass, sweeping the entire floor of a hostel or even wash the clothes of the hall representatives. Mind you the hall rep is your fellow student appointed by the authorities like SUG in public schools. I don’t remember seeing any of this at black gold orientation camp, Kaduna and I don’t think such happens in Nigeria Defense Academy. So I guess it’s just the gun that is missing.
“To the recent horrific thing that happened, Chief Okoye is surprised that a priest ordered that his camera be destroyed. If you ask me, I will say he was very lucky that he was not detained also. Things like this are trends in the institution – I am talking about a scenario, where the mother of a student was locked up by security people in Elele. They said she was behaving like a mad woman just because she shouted at the security man at the gate. Her husband had to come from God knows where to rescue his wife and they withdrew their daughter. You had a situation of a reverend sister (allegedly) running away with millions of naira and threatening the founder that if he comes after her, she will expose him and nothing has been heard of that case since.
“What about the fire that killed two students in Okija and the university said it was fuel, when we know student don’t have access to fuel but only the staffers for their vehicles? I guess the case has been swept under the rug and so on. Lecturers have natural hatred for students, deliberately failing students in the name of making money for the school by giving them extra year. Every year only 14 per cent of Madonna students graduate; the rest are spill-over cases.
“Coming back to the victims, Stanley Okoye and Ga-Lim Aondofa Lord, well no matter the offence they might have committed, they are not guilty as treated. This was jungle justice and I’m sure if petrol and tyre were available that night, given the anger in the minds of those performing the atrocity, it would have been “AKPUGO 2 like ALUU 4.” Assuming these boys gave up, what would the university authority have done? Oh I know, probably the officials will dump them by the road side or maybe bury them secretly.
“I’m wondering the way these kids looked after they were tortured that made the authorities to carry out an emergency surgery on them without the approval of their parents and even after eight weeks or more, they still look this way with all the bruises still evidently present. Even confirmed criminals are not beaten this way. I don’t see in the handbook where it says if a student is a suspected cultist, he or she should be beaten profusely. Let me state exactly what the handbook of Madonna University says in “Section 11:
No involvement in cultism or association with cultists.
No possession of cultist materials such as ring charms, amulets, wears or symbols;
iii. No possession of cultist weapons like guns, pistols, axes, cutlasses, daggers, etc.
No intimidation, threat or fine of anybody with cultists’ powers or boasts. For girls no silent consent to the diabolic “protection” of cultists because of fear. Report all cult-related threats, fines or purported protection to the authorities. Punishment for cultism and all cult-related offences is expulsion of all members and accomplices including the so called protected.
“These are normal platitudes you see in any university handbook and the same euphoria about such offences in any institution. I will advise the parents of these victims to turn to God and save themselves the expenses because like other cases, this one will also be swept under the rug. It’s like the story of a father and son but this time it’s an institution versus students.
“I would like to state categorically that I have nothing personal against Madonna University or the chancellor. I admire his patriotism and philanthropy, but I fault his method on the appointment of staff, his chain of command and above all, the treatment of students.”
Justus Ijeoma, Legal Secretary, Civil Liberties Organisation, Anambra State branch also told Sunday Sun how a young man who allegedly wrote a negative story on the internet against the Chancellor of the university was thrown into the dungeon at Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Awkuzu, Anambra State for several months.
Also, an Onitsha based legal practitioner, Barth Okafor-Onyilo in an encounter with Sunday Sun reporter also recounted his unpleasant brush with the authorities of Madonna University, when he was a Law student of the university. He said he was detained in the university cell for three days and in the aftermath, sued the university two years after his graduation.
“I was in my final year, Law department, 2007; the high handedness of the school authorities was something else then. I was labeled a trouble maker and detained in the school cell for three days. This happened three months to my graduation and I had to endure all the humiliation so that the years I spent in school would not be in vain. While I was also fighting for my rights, they constituted one panel like that and handed me the verdict that I should pay N50, 000 as fine for fighting. I paid the money but they refused to send my name to the Nigerian Law School. It was after consistent struggles that I eventually proceeded to the Law School. Upon graduating and finishing my National Youth Service Corps year in 2009, I sued the university at Ihiala High Court for all they did to me. It was a celebrated case but the judge eventually tilted the case in their favour saying that I brought the court after two to three years.
“I wanted to appeal the case but on a second thought, I decided to move on since I had proved a point. Not quite long after, the National Universities Commission wielded the big stick by withdrawing their law degree accreditation. I’m also aware during our own time in the university that they hired lecturers and borrowed facilities during NUC accreditation visit. During such period, they would normally send us home so that we won’t interfere or leak any secret,” he said.
Sunday Sun reporter gets death threat
On Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at exactly 8.33am, the reporter called the Public Relations Officer of Madonna University, Mr. Emeka Okpara on phone to intimate him on the request from the editor to do a follow up on the story based on reactions that trailed the first publication and to know whether the university had articulated a response to all the trending issues trailing the torture story. After introductions, he flared up and accused the reporter of witch-hunting. Not done yet, he threatened the reporter to tread softly to avoid incurring the wrath of the Chancellor of Madonna University, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Edeh. While the reporter was trying to let him realize that he meant no harm and the implications of what he was saying, he threatened to come after the reporter if he dared to quote him in any way again in the story. When the line went off after five minutes and seven seconds, he called back at 8.26am and spent 40 minutes, 23 seconds threatening fire and brimstone and telling the reporter to run for his life for stepping on a dangerous landmine. He said he didn’t care if his voice was being recorded as the reporter had done before.
He said that they just finished a meeting where what would be the reporter’s fate for writing the story was discussed and warned of dire consequences the reporter might get for writing ‘negative’ stories on Madonna University.
Source: Sun
