A religious crisis at Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola has reportedly left a 200 level student dead. The cause of the crisis was triggered by an allegedly blasphemous statement made by a student on Whatsapp.
The controversial statement made by a student Dave Wanjez who happens to be a Christian had angered Muslim students of the University due to the Prophet Muhammad being labelled a rapist in the statement.
The Muslim students feeling further slighted by what they felt was negligence by the school authorities in handling the issue went on a riot to vent their grievance.
The riot which started on the 4th of February on Sunday evening ended on Monday the 5th of February with lecture halls, the school mosque and several properties on campus set ablaze. A student was killed during the unrest with several students sustaining injuries.
The Dean of Student Affairs Lawal Haruna in the aftermath of the riot said some students engaged some villagers in a fracas over the University asked the student who posted the controversial statement to vacate the campus premises.
“In the wake of the crisis, some students living in Sangere village that houses a majority of the students,. engaged in fisticuffs with the residents of the residents of the area during which one of the students was injured” said the Dean
Dave Wanjez has, however,denied making such a statement claiming his phone had been hacked and he respects all religions in a Facebook post on his timeline. There are allegations that the riot was due to SUG elections which had recently been conducted in the school.
The school, however, has been shut down by management and security has been increased to quell further incidents.