From Jude Dangwam, Jos

The management of the Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin-Ladi has shutdown the institution following intense protest by students in the last two days.

The polytechnic’s Rector, John Dawam, who spoke to DAILY ASSET yesterday, said he regretted the loss of life and injuries sustained during the protest, and appealed to students to suspend the protest in the interest of peace and growth of the institution.

Dawam, who said he was emotional, upon sighting the corps of his students said it is heartbroken and urged the protesting students to pay respect to those who lost their lives and sustained various degrees of injuries and end the protest.

“We were thinking that were under control in the evening of Monday, but we later saw the students regrouping and even today (Tuesday) in the morning.

“It appeared as if the situation was under control up to about evening of Monday. But we discovered that the students started regrouping again and we had to hold management meeting immediately, and at that meeting we decided that the school be close in the interest of the students, the public and the staff of the school too because roads were been blocked, places barricaded while we look forward to a situation where there will be calm in the campuses. It may take time and it may not take time then we call them back,” Dawam said.

Commenting on the Monday protest that turned bloody, the He said some of the students sustained minor injuries, but the worst is the dead of one student of Engineering by name Bulus Davou.

“By two to three pm, i was told that two students were shot at the Main Campus, one died instantly and the other was taken to Plateau Specialist Hospital,” he added.

He said the cancellation of the exam due to the industrial action was what was responsible for the reactions by students, who suffered a lot due to the outbreak of the COVID-19, industrial action by ASUP and the civil unrest in the state affected the smooth running of academic activities in the school.

“I still want to appeal to our students not to take the law in to their hands, let them be patient so that we can settle the issues, because the more patient they are the better for things in the state.

“I feel highly disturbed and very sorry to the parents of this student. When I saw his corpse, I didn’t know when tears rolled out of my eyes. I pray God to comfort the parents of this student,” he emotional stated.

However, the Chairman of the Joint Academic Staff Union of State Owned Tertiary Institutions in Plateau State. Comrade Lumye Innocent Simji told DAILY ASSET yesterday that the Union and Government are on talks for the past three days now towards resolving the dispute.

However, DAILY ASSET gathered that one of the students, who was shot on the head gave up yesterday afternoon.