Protesters conveying their concerns via placards in Kano. Photo: Abdullahi Jalaluddeen
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is protesting against the ongoing nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The students converged on Kofar Nassarawa bridge in Kano City carrying placards with different inscriptions calling on the federal government and ASUU to bring a lasting solution to the strike.
The protesters made their demands, chanting solidarity songs against the action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU and the federal government
The protest leader, Yazid Tanko Mohammed said they were conducting a peaceful protest to convey their grievances on the ongoing strike, saying it had caused a great setback on the educational sector.
“We are always at the receiving end whenever ASUU embarks on strike, we are calling on the federal government to expedite action in bringing an end to this lingering strike”, Yazid said at the Ministry of Higher Education in Kano.
Commissioner for Higher Education Dr Mariya Bunkure represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Dahiru Adda’u said the ministry would convey their message to governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for onward submission to president Muhammadu Buhari.
The Permanent Secretary also commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct all through the protests.
Ekiti state University
Meanwhile, the road leading to Ekiti state University Ado Ekiti and Iworoko was barricaded this morning by the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS to protest the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The protesters called on the federal government to immediately respond to the demands of ASUU with a view to ending the strike.
Addressing newsmen, the President of EKSU Student’s Union Government, Emmanuel Alade who led the protest, stressed that the strike was not in the best interest of the students, advising the government to dialogue with the university lecturers.
Anytime our lecturers are on strike, we don’t normally happy because it will prolong our period of staying in the school, federal government should dialogue with our lecturers so as to end the strike, end of the quote.
Mr Alade however pleaded with stakeholders in the education sector to intervene in the face-off between the two parties, government and lecturers.
On his part, the vice president of EKSU Student’s Union Government, miss Titilope Adeteye said the protest and road block would continue until the federal government acedes to the demands of the lecturers.
Radio Nigeria correspondent who went to the scene reports that though the gate of EKSU was opened for workers and students to enter, the barricade of the route caused serious gridlock while security personnel were on ground to prevent the protest from being hijacked by hoodlums thereby leading to the breakdown of Law and order..
Reporting by Abdullahi Jalaluddeen/ Ifeoluwa Falayo ; editing by Muzha Kucha