Police Authorities Deploy Personnel To Foil UNILAG Students' Planned Protest

As the students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) ponder on the
format their planned protest scheduled for Tuesday would take, the
Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has drafted its personnel to the campus of
the university to maintain law and order.
When SaharaReporters visited the school Monday, heavily-armed
policemen were seen patrolling the campus, while about 10 police vans
were stationed at the school gate.
Students, workers and visitors entering the university campus were
subjected to stop-and-search operation by the police personnel.
SaharaReporters gathered that mobilization for the protest was done
via the social networks late last week, as the students plan to bring
to the notice of the Nigerian Government their support for the
industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) and for the government to honour the agreement so
that universities all over the country could resume for normal
academic activities.
The students also plan to embark on the protest primarily at the
university's gate which would be reminiscent of the fuel subsidy
protest of January 2012, held at the Gani FAwehinmi Freedom Park in
Ojota, Lagos.
ASUU has been on strike since June 1, 2013 following the inability of
the Nigerian Government to honour the agreement it signed with the
union in 2009.
The UNILAG students are also agitating for the reinstatement of their
Student Union Government (SUG) as well as the reversal on the hike in
tuition at the Lagos State University (LASU).
When contacted on the planned action of the students, some officials
of ASUU, UNILAG chapter who craved anonymity, said they were unaware,
adding that it would not be in the best interest of the students to
embark on the protest, taking into consideration the security presence
at the school premises as well as the possibility of hoodlums
hijacking the student's action for their selfish reasons.
Also some students' representatives claimed ignorance of the planned protest.
Meanwhile, as it could not be ascertained if it was the school
authorities or the Lagos or federal government that invited the
police, the UNILAG management has sent an SMS to all its students
informing them of the cancellation of the protest.
According to the SMS via LagMobile on Monday, the UNILAG authorities
said, "Our prepared security supporters now advise dat since many
unhealthy students have also planned to join the possible protest on
the ASUU Strike, no more protest to avoid causalities. FP"