Fees hike: UNILAG students suspend protest after police commissioner’s intervention

The Lagos State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Council (NANS JCC) has suspended its planned protest against the hike in the University of Lagos (UNILAG) school fees due to the intervention by the State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa.

The chairman of the association, Alimi Idris and Secretary, Abdulrazak Yusuf, in a statement issued on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, urged the police commissioner to ensure the students’ grievances were communicated to the appropriate authorities.

The students’ leaders commended Owohunwa for his intervention and assured the police boss of their cooperation.

Speaking, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the police commissioner met with the students’ leaders on Monday, August 7.

Hundeyin said the students planned a demonstration for Tuesday (today) but were invited by Owohunwa for discussion to find a way around the protest.

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He said the commissioner assured the students that he would meet with the UNILAG Vice-Chancellor to discuss their grievances.

Hundeyin stated that the police commissioner also set up a Police-Student Relations Committee (PSRC) to address issues that might arise from the meeting in the future.

The police spokesperson added: “One of the students (name withheld) in the delegation, who is an indigent student, was given a scholarship by the CP throughout his university education.

“Based on this and others, the student leaders agreed to suspend the protest.

“They promised to maintain peace within the campus.”

It would be recalled that the UNILAG management, on July 20, 2023, announced a hike in fees for undergraduate students.

The management raised the fees from N19,000 to N190,250 for students studying medicine, while for courses that require laboratory and studio, students are to pay N140,250.

The Star