IMSU students urge govt to come to their rescue

It is the only exit route through which residents of Mbonu Ojike community can access the Imo State University (IMSU). But this shortcut to the university’s rear exit gate has become a criminal’s den. Since erosion washed away part of the road five years ago, it became a nightmare for residents. It is covered with bush and refuse, making it impassable.
Students who live in Mbonu Ojike are worried about the state of the road, which also connects IMSU Primary School with the neighbourhood. Motorists, who used to ply the route, are not happy with its condition.
Following the years of neglect, criminals are cashing on it to wreak havoc on people. During the day and at night, hoodlums dispossess passers-by of their personal effects, including money and mobile phones.
The Mbonu Ojike road is water-logged because of the overflow of Lake Nwaebere, which extends into the university. Since there is no drainage, the water gets to the university rear gate, worsening the condition of the road.
To make the route passable, members of the community constructed a wooden bridge through the bush path. Students and other commuters ply the structure to get to the school. But, the wooden bridge is fragile and users fear that it could collapse.
Because of criminals’ atrocities, students and residents have cried to the  university and the government to come to their rescue. They are demanding the clearing and rehabilitation of the road.
A student, who identified himself as Chibuzor, told CAMPUSLIFE: “I cannot forget the sad experience I had with some boys at the IMSU Primary School gate. I was returning to the hostel with my friends when we were accosted by the boys. They took our phones and money. I was shocked because the incident happened in broad daylight.”
A medical student, Chinwe Alakwe, said she had stopped going to the campus through the rear gate after she was robbed with her colleagues during a football match in the primary school. She said: “It happened like a joke. We were on the field playing inter-departmental football match when we noticed the arrival of a group of buys. Before we knew what was going on, they started collecting our phones. It was a sad experience I cannot forget. I stopped going towards that part of the university after the incident.”
CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the university management had made efforts to check the robberies at the gate. With the measure, some students said the attacks have reduced, but still want the management to make the area passable.
Victor Igiri, a 400-Level Optometry student, said: “The Vice-Chancellor has improved security in the area. We did not hear many cases of phone snatching and harassment last semesters. On that, we are happy but we want the management to do more by stopping constant flooding of the area.”
Divine Israel, a 200-Level Agricultural Economics student, said there should be concerted effort by the university and the government to get the road repaired. “It is not enough to leave the burden on the university, rather, the state should direct the Ministry of Environment to see to the problem of flood. The university cannot do it alone; it needs the help of the state to rescue the university community from this problem,” he said.
To solve the erosion problem at the exit gate, students believe the government must intervene to end their nightmare. But, if help does not come in time, the students fear that the criminals hiding in the area spot could unleash more terror on the residents, including pupils of the primary school.
Culled from Thenationonlineng