ATA Poly Students Protests Against Rector

Students of the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAPOLY), Bauchi, took to the streets yesterday to protest against the Rector of the institution, Mr Bala Azare, calling for his removal from office.

The angry students, who blocked the Bauchi road, alleged that the management of the institution in connivance with the rector embezzled the funds of the institution to the tune of several millions of naira and acquired properties of the institution illegally.

The students lamented the poor state of infrastructure in the institution as they accused the rector of abandoning the welfare of students in the institution.

Reacting to the incident, the Bauchi state Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the protest and said that the students caused heavy traffic congestion and public nuisance which deprived residents and road users in the area.

He said Police patrol teams led by ACP Tony Okpara rushed to the scene and all efforts to pacify the students to disperse peacefully proved abortive, instead the students pelted the Police with stones and set bonfires on the highway.

The Police spokesman however claimed that normalcy was restored and the road was cleared for motorists who were stranded for more than two hours.