Two students who were arrested after the police stormed their hostel at the University of Bahr el Ghazal in Wau on Wednesday have been released.
According to one of their colleagues, the duo were apprehended when the police attempted to forcefully evict students from their hostel on Wednesday morning.
Last week, security forces raided the girl’s hostel at the university and evicted the students.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, a university student called David Akook confirmed that the two students were released on Wednesday after being briefly detained and said one of them was tortured by the police.
“Two students, including the chairman of the college, were arrested on Wednesday but they were released on the same day. One of them was beaten but not the chairman,” he said. “The student was just walking by because vehicles were brought yesterday (Wednesday) for a forceful evacuation of students. He went to charge his phone but on returning, he was told by the police not to pass through the road near the administration area but he refused. That is why he was arrested and beaten by the police.”
“The security officers have now left the university campus because the evacuation of students was canceled,” Akkok added.
He said the presence of security personnel near the university gate was a threat to the students but that they left, and the situation has normalized.
“We have been fearing because of the presence of security forces with guns at our gate, it was a threat,” Akook said. “We are urging the administration to reopen the university and we negotiate the fees so that we start lectures.”
Last week, students went on strike protesting a hike in tuition and other fees.
On Thursday last week, security personnel stormed the girls’ hostel and ordered students to immediately vacate the facility.
Several attempts to contact the university administration for comment were unsuccessful.