PUNCH
The National Association of Nigerian Students has issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the management of the University of Lagos to reverse fee hike in the institution.
NANS executive members, led by the National Public Relations Officer, Giwa Temitope; National Vice President, External, Akinteye Afeez; and the Deputy Senate President, Ekundina Elvis among others, on Thursday, condemned the arrest of students who were protesting fee hike at UNILAG Junction on Wednesday.
The PUNCH reports that some of the protesters, Adeyeye Olorunfemi, Philip Olatinwo, Aduwo Ayodele and the Giwa, among others, were later released by the police in the evening. The security agencies had fired teargas to disperse the students at UNILAG Junction during the protest.
The Lagos State Police Command had on Tuesday said the students should inform the police of its protest plans for adequate measures to be provided but the students kicked against this, saying protest is a fundamental human right.
Addressing a press conference at the International Press Centre, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, the student leaders said, “We want to state that the repression that was meted out during our protest on Wednesday against the astronomical increase in fees payable at the University of Lagos is condemnable.”
According to NANS, the decision to protest the fee hike was reached after the management of the University of Lagos allegedly failed to meet the terms of the agreement met with the students on August 2, 2023 “where the Vice Chancellor assured us that the fee would be reversed and reviewed through a joint body of students and management staff of the university.”
When contacted for a reaction on Wednesday, the Head, Communications Unit, UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, said the management was not against lawful protest. She directed the students to channel their grievances to the right channel.
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