NANS,UNILAG Solidarity Protest

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Thursday staged a solidarity protest rally that paralysed academic activities in University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos.

The protest rally which began at the early hours of the day, saw protesting students carrying placards and hurling insults at management of the institution.

The UNILAG Senate has recently rusticated some executive members of University of Lagos Students Union (ULSU) for allegedly spearheading the protest that shut down the institution for several weeks in April.

The rustication terms which range between two and four semesters had earlier been protested by some of the affected students but with little or no effect in getting the varsity’s management changed its decision.

At the protest rally held at the institution’s Senate building on Thursday, NANS representatives asked the management to rescind its decision, insisting that the rusticated students’ union leaders have not done anything unusual in mobilizing their colleagues to protest harsh conditions underwhich they were studying.

“As enshrined in the constitution, every Nigerian has freedom to protest and to hold procession at any point in time. It smacks of high-handedness if the school authority will be sanctioning students union leaders because they asked their colleagues to protest unjust atmosphere they have been subjected to. All we are asking for is that the varsity’s senate should rescind their decision and let our fellow comrades continue with their academic activities,” Bola Ojikutu, one of the protesting students said.

The varsity management however ordered immediate closure of the main entrance gate to the institution while the protest rally was going on.

Efforts to speak with the varsity’s spokesperson, Mr Toyin Adebule however proved abortive as he refused to pick calls to his mobile phone.