THE University of Lagos (UNILAG) was
figuratively turned to a war zone on Friday as
the protesting students engaged policemen
and the management in over five-hour battle
over the control of the campus.
The five-hour battle, which started as early as
6.00am saw the students dislodging the
policemen led by the Area Commander of
Area D, O.C. Bakare (ACP) and took firm
control of the two main gates and prevented
both human and vehicular movements.
The protest on Friday came against the
backdrop of the university Senate decision at
an emergency meeting on Wednesday to shut
indefinitely the 54-year-old institution after
three days of protest by the students because
of scarcity of water and erratic electricity.
Following the continuation of the protest,
academic, administration and commercial
activities were paralysed on campus as
offices, banks and business ventures
remained closed, while campus shuttle buses
were grounded.
The decision to shut the university indefinitely
by the Senate without addressing the
students demands worsened the situation as
they resisted the closure and refused to
vacate the hostels.
The university management in a statement
said the Senate acknowledged the situation
on campus occasioned by the on-going
agitation by the students over poor electricity
and water supply, as well as, the difficulties
faced by many students staying off campus to
attend classes as result of the fuel crisis.
It observed that the problem of poor
municipal services is a national issue that the
governments both at federal and state level
are addressing.
According to the statement, to avert further
breakdown of law and order on campus, the
Senate resolved that academic activities on
campus be suspended with immediate effect,
the university is shut, students are to vacate
the various halls of residence and none
should remain in the hostels after 10.00am on
Friday, April 8.
Others are that a decision to re-open for
normal academic activities would be taken as
soon as municipal services improve and
assured the university community to go about
their normal activities as adequate security
measures have been put in place.
The President, University of Lagos Students
Union (ULSU), Muhammed Olaniyan, who was
leading the protest with other excos was
arrested early Friday morning by the police.
This generated tension on campus.
In order to avoid the escalation of the crisis,
the students union president was released,
but his phones and other personal belongings
including the union bus were seized.
While some angry students besieged the two
main gates and monitored the Senate and
Students Affairs building searching for the
Vice Chancellor, Prof Rahaman Bello, others
mobilised to chase out policemen who
entered the campus.
Some of the students who wore masks or
cover their faces chased the police van
carrying the area commander, armoured tank
and other vehicles, telling the security
personnel to go fight Boko Haram terrorists in
the North.
At the Akoka end of the gate, the students
called their VC unprintable names and blamed
him for the protest because he failed to
address the students on the first day of the
protest. They urged their colleagues with bags
ready to leave not to abandon the struggle.
At the various hostels, many students were
spotted in their rooms while others with bags
but stranded stayed in front of the halls.
Some parents who came early to pick their
wards were equally trapped in the protest as
they could not drive out of the campus
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