Pandemonium In Makurdi As Students Protest Death Of Colleague

The Makurdi  – Gboko road, in Benue State, was shut to traffic for several hours, yesterday as the state’s University students went on rampage in protest of their dead colleague, Nicholas Itodo, a medical student

Itodo was alleged to have committed suicide, apparently because of the frustration that followed his expulsion, from the university, at the clinical stage of his course.

The students, mainly from the medical school, blocked the high way and placed a casket containing the remains of Itodo in front of the university gate. They believed that the University was instrumental to his death.

The students also made bonfire on the high way to disrupt traffic. They alleged that their colleagues took to suicide after spending 13 years at the institution without graduation

One of the students, who spoke with The Guardian on the ground of anonymity, said the late Itodo was an outstanding student and questioned the rationale for his expulsion at clinical stage, adding that the trauma of the expulsion made him to commit suicide.

“How can they expel a student at the stage of clinical? This is why we have quack doctors. A student who has spent over 13 years and just at the verge of completing his studies with clinical, the school expelled him. This is the cause of his death,” he insisted

But, Dean of Students Affairs of the institution, Dr. Gowon Doki, who debunked the claims by the students, said the late Itodo was involved in an accident along the new George Akume road.

Dr. Doki added that the deceased had been withdrawn from the school, having failed his clinical examination.

“So his mates felt that it was not proper to withdraw a student at that stage. They claimed that could be the cause of his death and so, decided to embark on this protest with a coffin”, Doki noted.
The dean however, said nor