FUTO: Host Community Agitates For the Relocation of the Institution

Unknown men suspected to be indigenes of the host community to the Federal University of Technology, Owerri yesterday invaded the school community and destroyed properties.

According to the report, the men were said to have accused the institution of encroaching on their land and threatened to burn down the institution if it is not immediately relocated.

Reacting to this, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Chigozie Cyril Asiabaka, described the invasion as unprovoked and barbaric saying the institution is not at loggerhead with the host community. The problem started when the institution demanded possession of a portion of land acquired by the Federal Government for the institution.

In the words of the Vice Chancellor, “FUTO is not at loggerheads with the communities. Why should they vandalise our property? The damage they unleashed on the university is massive and unprecedented. FUTO’s land belongs to the Federal Government; we have not encroached on their land."

“Their demand that the school should return part of the land to the communities is impossible because nobody here can approve that, except the Federal Government. We have convened an enlarged management meeting and far-reaching decisions have been taken. These include the immediate perimeter fencing to forestall further encroachment on the university’s land.”

He finally stated that this disturbance will not in any way affect the academic activities as FUTO is set to commence its examinations on Monday.

However, according to the traditional ruler of Ihiagwa Autonomous Community, Eze James Muruako, a statement from a top FUTO official must have triggered such agitation from the host community.

The monarch added that no adequate compensation had been given to the communities after ceding over 5,000 plots of land to the Federal Government and that the community has sued FUTO over the land.

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