LASU Students Protest, Attack Vice Chancellor

The second semester examination of Lagos State University (LASU) was disrupted on Thursday, as students went on the rampage, destroying properties in the process.
The protest had started on Wednesday over the closure of the university’s registration portal.

Vice Chancellor of the University, John Obafunwa, was reportedly stoned as he tried to evade the riotous students who had blocked the main gate and made bonfires on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

Information gathered by our correspondent on Thursday that the students threw sticks and stones at Obafunwa’s convoy, as he struggled to escape through an alternative route beside Conoil filling station.

It was gathered that trouble started in the university when the VC decided not to
open the registration portal for over 2,000 students who are yet to register their second semester courses, as exams was to begin Thursday, even though the banks are still collecting school fees from students, whose hope of registering gets slimmer by the day.

According to the students, only 708 were able to register before the portal was shut again, leaving 1,292 students to their fate.

Sources said when the Students Union Government (SUG) went to plead on behalf of the students, the VC was reported as saying those yet to register are insignificant and would automatically have to carry the session over, a statement which infuriated the students and they decided to take the laws into their hands.

A 100 level Political Science student, Adesegun Bisuga, lamented the hard-line stand of Obafunwa, saying he is inconsiderate.

“I personally don’t know why the Vice Chancellor decided to take that kind of hurting decision, looking at the high fees the students are paying and after they struggle to pay, the Vice Chancellor denied us registration which will lead to the students having carry covers and extra year(s),” he said.

During an audience with the VC by members of the student union body, it was reported that he said 11,300 students have registered so far, and that the remaining the 1,292 crying foul fall in the rank of the minority.

Dean of Students Affairs, Kabiru Akinyemi, could not be reached for comments as at press time.

Speaker of the Students Parliamentary Council, Sodiq Adewunmi Sanni, advised that the university management should consider the students in view of the outrageous school fees they are paying.

Meanwhile, armed policemen, including anti-riot squad have taken over the campus the university, LASU as the students’ riot entered the second day on Thursday.

The takeover, according to Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ngozi Braide, was to forestall break down of law and order, protect the property of the school as well as ensure that no life was lost.

“Our men are everywhere in the school campus and normalcy has returned,” Braide told Daily Independent.

Also, a group, Education Rights Campaign (ERC), has demanded immediate reopening of the e-portal and immediate reversal of hike school fees.

In statement by Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Coordinator, and Michael Ogundele, National Secretary, the group noted that “the terrible crisis brewing at the Lagos State University (LASU) as a result of the hike of fees got to a head on Thursday.

“We have received reports of police shooting tear gas and that some students may have been injured,” the statement added.

Reacting to development at LASU on Thursday, Lagos State House of Assembly summoned the state Commissioner for Education, Olayinka Oladunjoye, and Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Education, Fatai Olukoga, to appear before the lawmakers today.

The Assembly took the decision after the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Wahab Alawiye-King, under Matters of Urgent Public Importance, brought to the notice of his colleagues the protest that erupted at LASU.

Others who will appear with the commissioner and the SA include five representatives of the students’ union; three representatives of the school ruling council and management of LASU.