* Allegedly injure students, destroy property
In what appears as reprisals, scores of unarmed civilians have been left injured and several vehicles destroyed at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ugbowo main campus, in alleged revenge attacks launched by aggrieved soldiers.
The alleged “reprisal” happened on Thursday after a clash earlier same day between some students of the university and soldiers, following resistance by students to the soldiers who attempted to jump ATM queues on campus.
The soldiers were said to have descended on a female student, suspecting that she was recording the incident on her phone.
Things got worse when the soldiers reportedly attempted to whisk the student to their barrack, which was resisted by the institution’s security personnel.
The soldiers would later assault the officers including the Chief Security Officer.
The development reportedly led to a mild retaliation from angry civilians.
In a viral video, which has since gone viral, one of the soldiers could be seen on the floor, temporarily restrained and neutralised.
He, however, managed to escape from the university campus by scaling the fence.
It was gathered that the soldiers believed to be from S&T Barracks in Benin City, invaded the university campus on Thursday night by scaling the perimeter fencing to beat up security officers on night duty, destroying several vehicles parked on the campus.
Some unarmed civilians including residents on campus who were attempting to use the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) on bank road on the school premises were caught up in the “reprisals” and were also not left out as the soldiers pounced on them, leaving them with various degrees of injuries.
Viral video on Friday morning showed the UNIBEN Ugbowo main campus littered with damaged vehicles belonging to the institution and private individuals that were not left out in the reprisals as the windscreens were completely shattered by the rampaging soldiers.
Some of the injured, it was gathered, were taken to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for treatment.
A medical staffer at the hospital said some of the injured were brought in early morning, and they (medical personnel) had a busy time attending to the wounded.