UNIPORT Students Demand Books After ₦10.8 Million Textbook Payment Goes Missing

Tension erupted in the Cyber Security department of the University of Port Harcourt after students confronted their course representative over missing textbooks purchased with millions of naira contributed by the class.

Students said the course representative collected ₦27,000 from more than 400 students for a compulsory textbook recommended for the programme. The total amount gathered from the class is estimated to be over ₦10.8 million.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn when only 80 copies of the textbook were reportedly produced for distribution, leaving more than 320 students without the books they paid for.

The development triggered anger among students in the department, many of whom demanded immediate explanation and delivery of the textbooks. Witnesses said the course representative was confronted by a large group of students who insisted on receiving the materials rather than a refund.

The confrontation reportedly turned physical after the representative was unable to provide the remaining books or give a clear account of the funds collected. Some students accused him of failing to explain what happened to the balance of the money after the purchase of the limited number of copies.

Several students present during the incident said the demand from the class was straightforward: they wanted the textbooks that had already been paid for.

The incident has since stirred concern among students within the department, with calls for proper clarification on the whereabouts of the funds and the status of the remaining textbooks.