Police Fire Tear Gas, Arrest Protesting Unilag Students Over Fee Hike

Funmi Ogundare

There was pandemonium at the University of Lagos, Akoka, yesterday, as security operatives from the state Police command, arrested students who were protesting hike in their school fees.

The management of the university had  in July, announced an adjustment in the obligatory fees for both returning and new students which was supposed to take effect on September I.

The operatives, according to eyewitnesses, fired tear gas canisters to disperse the students who were coming from Sabo area of Yaba to the campus. They were prevented from moving closer to the gate by the policemen who cordoned off the area.

The policemen who came in over 20 vehicles  were joined at the university by the institution’s security personnel as well as men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps.

THISDAY gathered that admission seekers who wanted to get into the campus for the screening process and other visitors were turned back at the gate which was locked by the security operatives.

Speaking on behalf of the students, the President-elect of the Faculty of Education Students Association, Balogun Oladeji, accused the Area Commander, ACP Ayodeji of ordering his men to shoot at students, adding that he also arrested some of his colleagues.

The arrested students he noted were Femi Adeyeye and Philip Olatinwo,saying that they would continue to lay siege to the campus until the duo were released.

As at the time of filing this report, THISDAY reached out to the Head of the Communication unit of the university, Mrs. Adejoke Alaga , for her comment on the issue, but she neither responded to the text message nor picked her calls.