University of Ibadan students shut down campus over fee hike and other concerns
By SUMAYYAH ADEFAKA-ONIFADE
Thousands of students at the University of Ibadan have staged a protest over increased school fees and other concerns.
The visibly angry students moved in large numbers, around 8 a.m., to block the entrances of the institution. Leaving both academic and non-academic staff outside the gates.
After blocking all the entrances, they moved from one faculty to another to ensure that academic activities were totally paralysed.
The students who warned sternly that there should be no video recording of the protest explained that the school management has not been fair to them.
According to them, three issues compelled them to troop out.
A male student said, “We are protesting against injustice and insensitivity of the state school authorities to our plight.”
“You can imagine the authorities saying they will be shedding power henceforth, which means there are days we will be in darkness. How do they expect us to study?”.
“Secondly, they have hiked school fees astronomically to an unimaginable proportion. Do they want us to abandon our studies? Our parents are saying there is no money. Even feeding is difficult and we are still trying to wriggle out of this they are bringing hike in tuition fees. We cannot take this any longer. Enough is enough”.
“The third issue is the victimization of some of our colleagues who protested last time. The police have arrested them and up to now, they are still being detained for saying no to injustice. They are hurting us and they don’t want us to complain.”
Three female students who are in science said the situation is worse for them as they have to pay through their noses.
One of them said when she gained admission, she paid around N78,000 but now she is asked to pay over N300,000; some are paying N200,000.
The event disrupted the early take-off of a programme scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Department of Economics, CBN Hall.
The students went to the premises and shut all the gates.
