THE authorities of the University of Calabar have shut the institution over protest by the students who reportedly agitated against unconducive learning environment worsened by power outages among others.

To this end, the students were ordered to vacate their hostels at the most by 6pm yesterday.

In a statement issued yesterday in Calabar by the Registrar, Moses Abang, read: “The management of the University of Calabar has announced a two-week mid semester break for all students of the university with effect from today, 12th October, 2015.

“Students are expected to vacate the hostels on or before 6 pm to enable management address the issues raised by the students.

“Normal academic activities would resume on Friday, 30th October 2015. No students should be found on campus, especially within the hostels as from 6pm today.”

Earlier, the protest, which reportedly began at about 5.30 am, created panic and confusion as workers and traders got stranded along the adjoining roads linking the university, especially Etta Agbor and Mary Slessor Roads.

The angry students blocked roads leading to the school gate with placards accusing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Epoke for not giving proper attention to the needs of the students.

One of the students, Emmanuel Oga blamed the situation on the management of the school, saying “this is not a riot, we are simply protesting and the reason is because the management of UNICAL has refused to recognise those students that are voted into power and because of that, they don’t give us a listening hear. Nigerians students’ cries have not once been heard, that is just the reason for this protest.

“If you go to our hostels you cannot stay in the hostels, nobody can use the toilet in Malabo, no good drinking water and now no water, we don’t have mattress to sleep on so what are we living for?

“We have been harbouring this for long, we have been nagging on this, we have exercised enough patient, we are tired, and we cannot take it anymore. The management should look into our school fee reduction,” he said.