Tension in Gboko as Fidei Polytechnic Students Refuse to End Protest, School Shuts Down

Tension continued to mount in Gboko, Benue State, on Tuesday as students of Fidei Polytechnic, Gboko, in affiliation with Tansian University, refused to end their protest, insisting they would remain at the institution's gate until the university's co-founder, Dorothy Mato, personally addresses their grievances.  

The students said an engagement held with management failed to resolve the issues that prompted the demonstration. According to the protesters, they were not given the opportunity to fully express their concerns, leading them to continue the protest.  

One of the students told journalists that they had no intention of leaving until Dorothy Mato met with them directly. He said the protesters were demanding answers over issues affecting their academic future and wanted the institution's leadership to address their concerns without further delay.  

According to the protesters, many graduates of the institution have not been mobilized for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) despite graduating more than five years ago. They also alleged that they recently discovered that the Tansian University main campus does not recognize the Gboko learning centre, raising fresh concerns among students and graduates.  

The allegations have triggered anxiety among affected students, many of whom are demanding an official clarification from the university and the institution's management. As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from Tansian University regarding the claims.  

Amid the ongoing protest, the management of Fidei Polytechnic, Gboko, announced the indefinite closure of the institution with immediate effect. In a public notice signed by the Registrar, Gabriel Bem Abari, the management said the closure was approved to allow for renovation and fumigation of the campus and female hostels.  

The notice directed all students to vacate the campus and hostels immediately, while all academic activities were suspended until further notice. Although the management cited renovation and fumigation as the reasons for the closure, the announcement came while the student protest was still ongoing.  

The development has heightened concerns among parents, students, and members of the public over the future of the affected students and the uncertainty surrounding their academic programmes. Stakeholders are calling for dialogue between the protesters and the institution's leadership to peacefully resolve the crisis and address the issues raised by the students.