Liberia: Student Government Blocks Senator’s Donation at Nimba University Amid Leadership Transition

SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba County — A planned donation of solar lights and a Starlink Internet Package was blocked Friday, October 9 after student militants from the Students Liberation Party (SLP), the sitting

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By Franklin Doloquee

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student government at Nimba University, prevented Senator Nya D. Twayen Jr. from entering the campus.

Senator Twayen arrived from Bong County, where he had visited Bong University, carrying the equipment at the request of the incoming student leadership, the SUP-PROSA Alliance.

The SUP-PROSA slate said the donation was intended to bolster campus lighting and improve internet access for students who rely on limited campus connectivity.

Tensions flared when SLP members, citing a lack of formal notification, erected roadblocks at the main entrance and refused to allow the senator’s vehicle onto campus.

Protesters said the visit disrespected the sitting student government and amounted to coordination with an un-inaugurated leadership that has not yet formally assumed office.

Eyewitnesses described a scene of heightened frustration and nervous energy on campus. Dozens of students gathered near the entrance under cloudy skies as a handful of SLP Militants stood shoulder-to-shoulder across the driveway. Several students waved placards and chanted phrases demanding protocol be respected, while others filmed the standoff on mobile phones.

Campus security officers remained on the perimeter; university administrators were in Monrovia at the time, according to witnesses.

Senator Twayen spent more than an hour negotiating with the protesting students and student leaders, attempting to explain that the donation had been requested by the incoming representatives.

He repeatedly asked permission to deliver the materials, offering to leave them with neutral campus staff if SLP wished. When talks failed to produce an agreement, the senator left without delivering the equipment and turned his vehicle toward Ganta.

SLP officials told reporters they remain the recognized student government until a formal handover is completed and that proper protocol including written notification and coordination with sitting officers must be observed for any external actor seeking access to campus.

An SLP spokesperson said the action was intended to defend student governance and ensure transparency in engagements with lawmakers and donors.

Supporters of SUP-PROSA countered that the delay was harming students by preventing urgently needed improvements to campus infrastructure.

One SUP-PROSA member said the solar lights would increase safety at night and the Starlink unit would provide reliable internet for assignments and remote learning sessions, particularly in areas of the campus where connectivity is sporadic.

University administrators said they have launched an investigation into the incident and promised to release findings once verified.

In a statement, the university appealed for calm and confirmed that counseling and other support services are available to students affected by the episode. Officials also said they were coordinating with campus security and where appropriate, local law-enforcement.

Senator Twayen urged university leaders not to punish any student who may have been involved in the confrontation. Speaking both as a member of the university community and as a lawmaker pushing for increased budgetary support for Nimba University, he emphasized protecting vulnerable students while the probe continues. It was unclear whether he would return to complete the donation pending the inquiry’s outcome.

The incident underlines rising tensions around the student leadership transition at Nimba University, where disagreements over communication, protocol and the timing of handovers have spilled into public view.

The university serves a large and diverse student body from across Nimba County and beyond; improvements to lighting and internet access have been long-standing requests from students and faculty.

Several students said they were concerned about transparency and demanded regular updates from the administration and county education authorities.

“We need clear information about who is responsible and how decisions are made on campus,” one second-year student said. “This isn’t just about lights or internet it’s about trust.”

Campus security reported increased patrols in the hours after the standoff, and small groups of students remained gathered in common areas, discussing the events.

Some faculty members called for mediation between the competing student factions and for the university to set firm procedures for external donations and official handovers.

Observers noted that Senator Twayen’s role as an advocate for the university’s funding could affect how the administration responds to the dispute.

Local education advocates warned that prolonged politicization of campus affairs could delay needed infrastructure upgrades and harm student welfare.