Armed police officers forcefully dispersed protesting students from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) yesterday, using teargas to quell demonstrations against the significant fee increase imposed by the institution’s management.
UNILAG recently implemented a fee hike that requires students to pay over N190,000, a stark contrast to the previous fee of slightly over N19,000. In response, a large contingent of police officers, alongside university security personnel and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), took control of the university’s entrance gate, effectively preventing students and others from entering the campus.
The police, arriving in over 20 vehicles, fired teargas canisters at protesting students who regrouped near the gate after the initial dispersal. They also cordoned off the area, hindering further progress.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Balogun Ibrahim, the President-elect of the Faculty of Education Students Association, accused the Area Commander, ACP Ayodeji A., of ordering his officers to shoot at students and arresting several of their colleagues. He demanded the immediate release of the detained students.
The fee increase announcement led to protests, with students expressing their concerns about the affordability of education amid challenging economic conditions. Despite promises of discussions from the university management, no resolution had been reached, prompting the students to take action.
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has called for the unconditional release of the arrested students, emphasizing that the right to protest is protected by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. The ERC supports the students’ protest against the fee hike and calls on the university authorities to reconsider their decision, highlighting the financial strain on students and their families