From a video going viral on various social media platforms, it was obviously a day of the jackal at the University of Benin, Benin, Edo State, where students beat up a soldier attached to the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport, Benin City, in retaliation for allegedly assaulting their female colleague and chief security officer of the institution.

Kristina Reports gathered that trouble started when a group of soldiers entered the university campus and attempted to use the automated teller machines (ATMs) due to the apparent scarcity of new Naira notes in the country.

Eyewitnesses say the soldiers tried to jump the queue and withdraw their money from the school ATM, but the students insisted that they must join the queue which led to a scuffle between the soldiers and the students.

A source said the soldiers angrily ordered the students to lie face down on the floor which the students refused and led to an exchange of words, resulting in the involvement of the institution’s Chief Security Officer (CSO).

According to barristerng.com, the soldiers became more agitated during the confrontation and slapped the CSO for interfering in their matter by trying to make peace between the military men and the students.

It was gathered that the soldiers also beat up some male students and then proceeded to assault a female student for allegedly recording them. The situation immediately escalated, with both sides becoming involved in a physical altercation.

In a video circulating on social media, the students could be seen harassing and assaulting a soldier, before proceeding to barricade the roads and block movement for motorists and travelers till Justice is done for their colleagues and the soldiers brought to book.

According to another source, “the soldiers came into the school to withdraw the new naira notes. And they told all students to lie down while they withdrew money.”

“Some Uniben students did not agree and started dragging with them. The fight escalated and was taken to the school security office. They told students to lie down while they withdrew money.

“The soldiers slapped the CSO and injured two students who were taken to UBTH. The school security still allowed them to leave. SUG and other comrades got angry and blocked the expressway.”

Still another source said, “A female student who was at the scene was using her phone and the soldiers thought she was recording them. They ordered their female colleague to beat her blue and back. Luckily for the victim, the school’s security came to her rescue.

“The soldiers confronted the school’s security personnel over their intervention and students who witnessed the ugly incident created a scene and assaulted one of the soldiers.

“They subsequently chased the soldiers out of the school premises and took to the main road, chanting songs to protest the harassment of their female colleague.”

Enquiries sent by Kristina Reports to the Nigerian Army through its verified Twitter handle, @HQNigerianArmy requesting its position on the issue were yet to be responded to as at the time of this report.

A civil-military relationship expert, who preferred not to be named, queried the actions of the soldiers, wondering if they actually acted in line with the extant code of military conduct and adhered to the rules of engagement before the scuffle with the students.

Calls to the mobile number of the President of the Uniben Student Union Government (SUG), Foster Amadin was not taken or returned as at the time of this report also.