Police arrests 34 UCC students at KNUST in a midnight operation

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A total of 34 students of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) have been arrested following a midnight operation at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi over the weekend.

The suspects were occupants of two Sprinter Benz buses with registration numbers GR 5542 -19 and AC 479 -18 during the operation by the KNUST District Police Command at about 12:30am on Saturday, February 29, 2020.

Police sources told Dailymailgh.com that the students, with ages between 19 and 24 were rounded up at the main gate of the university, during the climax of a hall week celebration by students of the Unity Hall of the KNUST.

This comes amid earlier warnings issued by the Ashanti Regional Security Council, declaring KNUST a security zone.

“So the suspects who failed to explain why they were at KNUST at such an ungodly hour were transported to the Regional CID in Kumasi for further interrogation,” the police source told Dailymailgh.

Correspondent Jonathan Ofori, however, reports that the suspects have since been transported to the Central Regional Police Headquarters for further investigations.

A statement released by the Students Representative Council of the UCC on Sunday, March 1, 2020 also said it has “taken initial steps to ascertain the veracity of the situation.”

“Some executives of the SRC, together with the Atlantic Hall President, have visited the police and have begun engagements with the CID in charge of the case”, parts of the statement read.

“All students should remain calm to avoid further aggravation of the situation”, the statement further added.

Security has since been tightened at both campuses to maintain order.

KNUST still a security zone — Ashanti REGSEC cautions students ahead of hall week

The Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has said it will continue to beef up security at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The council said in a letter sighted by Dailymailgh that management and students should be reminded that the institution still remains a security zone.

“On behalf of the Ashanti Regional Security Council, I write to inform you that the declaration of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology as a security zone is still in force and must be upheld until further notice.”

It, however, cautioned that persons who flout rules and regulations to throw the school into a state of turmoil will be severely dealt with.

“In this regard, anybody who directly or indirectly engages in activities that may disturb the peace on the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology campus shall be sternly dealt with in accordance with the law. Breaches will attract the maximum legal security penalty or sanctions associated.”

Dailymailgh.com gathers that the reminder is in relation to a recent disturbances that occurred at the University of Cape Coast during a hall week celebration.

The incident left more than three persons injured and several properties destroyed.

In 2019 however, the conversion of two male halls at the KNUST to mixed ones led to students riot and subsequent destruction of properties estimated at over GHc1.6 million.

The school was closed down indefinitely by the Ashanti Regional Security Council.

By Jonathan Ofori, Daily Mail GH | joevica18@gmail.com