The family of Starry-Joshua Mustapha Okemebeose, a student of Gregory University Uturu, Abia State, has written a petition to the Director General, National Universities Commission (NUC), demanding sanction against the institution over alleged inhuman treatment meted on their son by the school’s security personnel.

Okemebeose, a student of Medicine and Surgery at the University, disclosed the incident happened on December 12, 2024, when he went out of the hostel to collect his phone at the repair shop, near the school canteen.

The petition was written on his behalf by Orduen Mark Feese, Esq. (Principal), MarkFeese Advocates and Solicitors.

The petitioner told the NUC that one of the school’s security personnel accosted him alleging that he was a criminal.

All explanation by Okemebeose that he was a student and was out to collect his phone at the repair shop fell on deaf ears.

His solicitor alleged that the security personnel called on other persons who beat up Okemebeose and dragged him to the security post.

Specifically, the petitioner submitted that he was physically tortured, humiliated and locked-up for hours, before being removed from the school and made to undergo inhuman treatment in the hands of the authorities of Gregory University, Uturu without just cause.

Okemebeose wrote that he was not involved in any wrong doings or was he confronted with any case of misconduct and afforded an opportunity of defending himself before he was purportedly so inhumanly treated.

“That the procedure required to be followed by the school authorities in removing him as a student for misconduct was not attempted let alone followed before he was removed.

“That having fulfilled all the conditions of being a student of the University, he is entitled to remain in the studies until his graduation, the petitioner stated.

The petition dated January 21, 2025, and made available to Daily Independent Newspapers on Wednesday, was accompanied by all relevant documents showing that Okemebeose was truly and in deed, a bonafide student of the institution.

Meanwhile, upon the complaint that his fundamental rights to human dignity, freedom of movement and right to fair hearing have been breached by the authorities of the Gregory University, Uturu, the petitioner has therefore called on the NUC to investigate the incident and pass the appropriate sanctions on Gregory University, Uturu, so as to assuage the hardship caused the student and to forestall further reoccurrence.

The petition was copied to the National Human Rights Commission,

Public Complaints Commission, Minister of Education, and the International Association of Universities.

Among other rights abuses, the student averred that without investigating the issue and notwithstanding that he was not caught stealing anything, the security bound him with ropes hands backwards with legs.

“He was displayed in the tied condition at the entrance point of the University, in front of the security post for hours for passers by to see.

“Even when fellow students identified him as a student, the security still did not release him.

“He was later dragged into the security cell above the security office and locked there still tied for 18hours.

The lawyer stated that efforts by parent of the student to get the University to explain what had transpired after the boy was released from the cell on December 13, 2024, proved abortive as the DVC Academics, and the Chief Security Officer of the school allegedly poured invectives on the parent.

Apart from being sent out of the school in the night, the student, according to the petition, missed studies from then till date.

“It is obvious that the school authorities having forcefully removed our client from the school are not ready to let him back to continue his studies.

“More so, with the hostility displayed against him, he has lost trust in his been fairly treated even where he is retained, the petitioner wrote.

Therefore, the Okemebeose’s family, in a letter to the Vice Chancellor, Gregory University Uturu, has given a seven-day ultimatum to the school to pay damages of N2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira only) for the breach of their son’s fundamental rights and deprivation of his right to be in school like his fellow students, or face legal action.

Meantime, when contacted on Thursday, for his reaction on the alleged incident, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Gregory University Uturu, Prof. Kalu Uche, declined comment.

“No comment. The matter is under investigation and I am not in a position to say anything,” Prof. Uche stated. (Daily Independent)