Academic activities at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and the Federal Polytechnic in Bauchi were yesterday disrupted following a violent student protest leaving at least two persons dead and scores injured.
Already the two institut-ions have been closed down indefinitely, and students were given six hours to vacate the two campuses.
Similarly, the Bauchi state government in a bid to curb the possible spillover of the crises to Bauchi metropolis immediately held meetings with security chiefs, religious leaders and authorities of the two institutions to douse tension as governor Adamu Mu’azu flew into the country from Dubai over the situation.
The violence was said to have erupted at the federal polytechnic earlier but spr-ead to the ATBU following allegation that Mr Sunday Ezekiel, the president of the ECWA students fellowship was abducted and later killed by some irate Muslim stud-ents.
At the polytechnic, the students burnt down the Ev-angelical Students (NIFES) secretariat, a bus belonging to Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS) and other items.
Though no life was offic-ially confirmed to have been lost at the Federal Polyt-echnic mayhem, properties were however vandalized.
Anxiety and tension also enveloped residents of the state capital as escaping students ran into the city in their thousands seeking for refuge.
The arson according to eyewitness account followed an alleged downloaded material from the Internet whose contents were said to be blasphemous.
It was gathered that one Hakuri Gaya, the Evangelism Secretary of NIFES and the president of joint fellowship got the material which he gave to one Uzo to read, and Uzo in turn gave the tract to one Abdulazeez Gazali, a Muslim student to read.
It was gathered that when Gazali read the material, he made photocopies and distri-buted it to his Muslim brot-hers to read, a development which sparked off violence on the campus.
Eyewitness told our corr-espondent that as early as 10 am on Wednesday, Muslim students gathered in a mos-que, after which they headed for the Rector’s office to register their displeasure.
The eyewitness said the rector, Alhaji Saidu Ibrahim Jahun advised the irate stud-ents to stay action as the sch-ool authority had resolved to expel the students involved in the blasphemous material.
It was learnt that a police detachment later came to the campus to restore law and order after severe damages had been done.
The authorities at ATBU have announced the inde-finite closure of the instit-ution till further notice.
A terse statement issued by the registrar, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, said “in view of the security situation on the campus the senate has approved the closure of the university immediately. You will be informed through the media when the university will reopen.”
Meanwhile, the Bauchi State government said it will set up an inter-religious cou-ncil to mediate between Chri-stian and Moslems, Gove-rnor Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu has said.
Alhaji Mu’azu explained that the issue of constant friction between Christians and Moslems in the state is unacceptable to the gover-nment hence the need to have a body that would meet regularly to review achie-vements made and profer solutions to thorny issues.
Also, the governor stated that the constitution of the council was as a result of the mayhem at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, where, Sunday Eze-kiel, President of the ECWA students’ association was murdered.
According to the gove-rnor, the crisis has the pote-ntial to draw the state back ward, but attributed the may-hem to activities of some politicians who wished the state no well, hence they hide under the guise of religion to cause disaffection among the peaceful and law abiding citizens of the state.
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