The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Wednesday threatened to derail the 2023 election cycle if the federal government fails to resolve the lingering industrial action embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) within two weeks.
The students, in a statement issued by Ojo Olumide, chairman of NANS national taskforce on the strike, said the country treats public tertiary education with “utmost disregard”.
They also condemned the federal government for not prioritising ASUU’s concerns despite several meetings held to resolve the issues.
“We wish to restate our total commitment towards the return of Nigerian Students in the nation’s public universities back to campus, the ongoing #EndASUUStrikeNow which has commenced will be sustained until the federal government of Nigeria resolve with ASUU and our students are back to their campuses,” the statement reads.
“We condemn the Federal Government of Nigeria for not prioritizing the concerns of ASUU after having extensive meetings with its leadership, with the view of bringing an end to the protracted industrial action.
“We appeal to our lecturers to intensify the campaign for proper funding of the educational sector and not limit the agitation to the welfare of their members alone.
“Our blocking of access to public roads and ports is just a warning. If the government fails to conclude all the negotiations and agreements with ASUU within the frame of two weeks, they will witness more protests and rallies all over the country.
“They will also witness the annoyance, anger, and frustration of Nigerian students who have been at home for the past seven months. As we promise them that we will not allow any political campaign to hold across the country until we are back to class.
“This government has pushed so many Nigerian students into depression. We say enough is enough; we can no longer bear the brunt of this avoidable crisis in our nation’s public ivory towers again.”
NANS also urged Nigerians to join them in the struggle to save public education in the country.
“For those misconstruing our struggle, we call on them to see reason with Nigerian Students and join us in the struggle to save public education in the country,” he added.
“Today, a lot of Nigerian students have lost a complete academic session due to this unwarranted dispute between the federal government and ASUU, not counting those that have lost their lives or were involved in one casualty or the other due to the protracted ASUU strike.
“To us, the ASUU strike is germane and the only way to save public higher institutions across the nation from total collapse is to properly invest in the educational sector.
“The leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) will continue to ground all the nation’s public assets from roads to airports including Nigeria Ports Authority if the federal government, through the federal ministry of education and the federal ministry of labour, fail to resolve with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in no distant time.”
-Police deploy officers to Third Mainland Bridge to avert protest
Meanwhile, the Lagos police command has deployed officers to Third Mainland Bridge to stop the planned protest over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos police spokesperson, on Wednesday, said the command will not allow any group to deprive Lagosians of their right to free movement.
OThe National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) earlier in the week blocked the roads leading to Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, and threatened to subsequently block Apapa wharf and the third mainland bridge.
Officers of the Lagos police command were mobilised to strategic locations at the Third Mainland Bridge in order to stop the planned protest.
Hundeyin, in a series of tweets, said blocking roads during protest is a breach of the fundamental rights of others.
“I personally visited the 3rd Mainland Bridge this morning. Our officers led by DPO Adeniji Adele, CSP Lanre Edegbai, are fully on ground at that end of the bridge,” the Lagos police spokesperson wrote.
“Same applies at other points. Have no fear. We got you covered. We will not allow any person or group of persons deprive Lagosians of their Right to Freedom of Movement. Everyone’s rights must be respected!”
On Monday, NANS blocked the roads leading to the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.
Prior to that, the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha expressway were blocked to protest the lingering strike.
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