Unilag Students Protest Causes Gridlock

Sulaimon Mojeed-Sanni & Damilare Okunola

Protesting students of University of Lagos, Akoka, on Friday morning caused traffic jam in Yaba area of Lagos State, soutwest Nigeria, over increase in the school’s late registration fee from N10,000 to N25,000.

The protesting students went to the institution’s Computer Information Technology Unit and they were told by the head of the unit that the portal would be opened but issues around the increased fee can only be settled by the university’s Vice Chancellor.

Due to the protest, the university management ordered the closure of the two gates that lead to the university, obstructing vehicular movement towards Bariga area of the state.

A student of Mathematics and member of Education Right Campaign group, Lateef Adams, told P.M.NEWS that “the late registration fee used to be N10,000, but the school management has increased it to N25,000, without considering the fact that the default in payment was due to unavailability of funds. To make students suffer more is gross insensibility and lack of emotional intelligence on the part of the management.”

Lateef noted that what was happening in the university is similar to that of Lagos State University, LASU, where students were told to make payment without the assurance that they would be able to register.

“The management closed the registration portal and insisted that students should continue to make payment, it is unjust,” he said.

Another student, who spoke with our correspondent, noted that the students would not stop the protest until the school rescinded its decision to increase the fee.

The student, who pleaded anonymity, said the situation is becoming unbearable and management should act decisively.

“We want the school management to know that we are very unhappy with the situation and we demand that everything returns to normalcy. Otherwise, there will be a total shut down of activities on campus,” she said.

When contacted, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos Chapter, Dr Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, said he was not aware of the protest or the increase in the late registration fee because he was not within the school premises.