The recent hike in the fee payable by students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), may lead to a confrontation between the students and the management of the institution, as the students have concluded plans to embark on a protest over the issue on Wednesday.

Sources said the students are being coordinated by their faculty leaders since the university has no central student union government.

But to ward off the protest and prevent any breakdown of law and order, the management of the institution, through the Office of the Dean of Students Affairs, DSA, has issued a statement advising the students to be wary of being used by people who ”do not mean well” for the university.

The students are planning to kick against the hike in fee announced by the management recently, which saw an average UNILAG student being asked to pay over N190, 000 as against the previous regime of a little over N19,000.

In the notice put up by the office of the DSA, the university said, “The management of the University of Lagos notes with concern the call for protest on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, over the review of obligatory charges by the university being planned by those who do not mean well for University of Lagos.

“We want to reiterate that the university is not against lawful and peaceful protests by students or any other law abiding citizens or group of people.

“However, the management of University of Lagos will not be deterred to take the necessary legitimate steps to protect the lives and property of the institution by those masquerading as defender of students’ rights and interest in a bid to cause civil unrest.

“In light of the foregoing, we would like to advise our students as follows: That planned protest could easily be hijacked by unscrupulous elements, looking for opportunities to cause civil unrest and unleash terror on law-abiding citizens or those who want to score cheap political points.

“While the university would not allow convergence of any group of people at its campus and environs, a protest of this nature could be hijacked by miscreants, and may lead to looting and physical damage of the University property with its attendant consequences.

“The protest could lead to the closure of the university and further elongate your stay/year in the university.

“In conjunction with our various security agencies events are being monitored as they unfold, and decisive actions would be taken to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of all staff and bonafide residents on campus.

“Do channel all grievances through the Dean, Student Affairs, who is officially empowered to interact with students.

“Do not allow yourself to be used as an instrument of destruction to your university or country,” the school noted.

Meanwhile, a group, Education Rights Concern (ERC), through Comrade Hassan Taiwo, has lambasted the management of UNILAG and accused them of scaremongering.

In a statement on Monday, he said, “The authorities of the University of Lagos is showing that it is a lawless entity by this scaremongering statement it has just issued. While UNILAG’s motto is “In deed and In truth” , the authorities of the institution has failed to tell the truth in this regard.

“For instance, the authorities gave the impression that those organising the protest are faceless elements whereas it met with them in their capacity as representatives of UNILAG students about one month ago to discuss the outrageous fee hike in the institution. At this meeting, the students rejected the fee hike and instead asked the UNILAG authorities to join Nigerian students to compel the federal government to fund public education adequately if truly it is lack of adequate funds that is the reason why it had to hike fees.

“Unable to withstand student’s argument, the Vice Chancellor asked for time to consult further with a promise to reconvene again after a few weeks. In this statement, the authorities have refused to say the truth that it was its blatant refusal to continue engagement with the student representatives about one month after the first meeting that has necessitated this protest.

“The protest is informed by the outrageous hike in fees which if allowed will force many students to drop out, while shutting the door of education on others.

“The protest is going to be a peaceful one and miscreants don’t hijack protests unless they are contracted to do so by those who stand to lose the most from a protest.

“So, by this response, we would urge the Lagos CP and IGP to take note of the authority’s publicized threat to contract miscreants to hijack students peaceful protests and do the needful to protect the lives and properties of students, staff and members of the public,” he said.

It would be reecalled that student unionism was banned in the university in 2005 during the tenure of the late Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe as the Vice Chancellor following a violent protest by students during which the official residences of the VC and the DSA were attacked.

The ban was lifted in 2015 by Prof. Raman Bello as the VC, but he later slammed his own ban the following year after another round of violent protest by the students. (Vanguard)

•Students in front of Unilag gate

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