Protesting students block roads in Lokoja

Yahaya-Bello of Kogi State

Protesting students of Kogi State University, Ayangba, on Thursday blocked major roads leading into and out of Lokoja, thereby paralysing socio-economic activities for hours.

The students, who were protesting against three months closure of the university due to lecturers’ unpaid salaries, said they were tired of staying at home.

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi had repeatedly appealed to the lecturers to call off the strike to no avail.

Bello had at stakeholders’ forum on July 5, said government had met 80 per cent of the lecturers’ demands, wondering why they were still on the strike.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Strategy, Malam Abdulkarim Abdulmalik, said the ongoing ASUU strike was premised on falsehood.

He stated that government had offset four out of five months salaries owed them, adding that the lecturers’ refusal to call off the strike remained a shock to government.

“I am saying very clearly that only 40 per cent of the bailout was released and the state government was magnanimous enough to pay them four months salaries.

“If they are asking for more, where do they want the government to take the balance of the bailout from?

“ASUU should also bear in mind that other teachers and civil servants are part of the bailout, so the strike is ill- motivated“, he said.

He charged the students to hold their lecturers responsible for their fate.

“The truth of the matter is that there are unseen hands behind the unrest”, Abdulmalik contended.

The Chairman of the university‘s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), had at a news conference in Lokoja on July 10 insisted that they will not call off the strike until their demands were met 100 per cent.

However, the visibly angry students insisted that the state government and the striking lecturers must quickly resolve their differences to allow for the re-opening of the university for normal academic activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students blocked the popular Ganaja junction, as early as 7.30 a.m.

Travellers to and from the North to the South-South and South-East were worst hit as they remained on the same spot for hours.

As a result, workers, traders, students of private schools and other citizens could not make it to their various destinations as they were all trapped in the gridlock.

Policemen dispatched to the scene could not help much as the students refused to vacate the junction.

The protest was obviously spontaneous as the protesters appeared uncoordinated thereby making it difficult to get a spokesperson among them.

Attempt by President of National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS), Mr Ahmadu Ibrahim and member of the students union to address them was frustrated by the protesters who accused him of being government agent.

Efforts by the Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Yakubu Usman, Director of SSS and State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to pacify them failed.