KNUST students clash with security; One injured, 11 arrested

One student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is on admission at the KNUST Hospital after he was allegedly manhandled by the internal security of the university during a vigil on campus.

Eleven others, including an alumnus, were also arrested and handed over to the police after they were said to have defied the ban on such activities usually called “morale” on campus.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the KNUST, Kwame Yeboah, the ban was placed following the conversion of all male halls into mixed halls.

He explained that the decision was arrived at because “the school authorities felt that the ‘morale’ activities, which involves singing in groups while moving about and doing other things could disturb the peace on campus”, adding that, “usually when they have these activities it causes problems at the school.”

According to him, the students and the alumni, however, went ahead to hold the vigil and consequently blocked the entrances to the school, thus, preventing students from entering the halls.

“The security at the school tried to stop the students but these students started to throw stones at the security officers,” Mr. Yeboah said.

The PRO confirmed that the injured student’s situation is not critical and the arrested students have been granted bail.