Students of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) on Friday protested an alleged increase in school fees by the management of the university.
The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that Staff and visitors to the university were held hostage for some hours while the protest lasted.
NAN also reports that the students locked the main entrance gate and other gates to the institution, thereby preventing people from going in or coming out.
A student who pleaded anonymity accused the school authority of being insensitive to the plight of the students, who just returned to school after eight months of the ASUU strike.
According to him, UNN had directed new students to start paying the new tuition fees.
He said the new tuition has been uploaded to students’ profiles and even incoming first-year students have started paying the fees.
NAN reports that some of the placards carried by the protesting students read that the old fee as N47,000 while the new fee is N95,000.
According to the student, “It’s happening at a time we are expecting compensation from the Federal Government and even the school authorities for keeping us at home for eight months as a result of the ASUU strike.
Mr Michael Abuchi, President of the Students Union Government (SUS) of UNN, who addressed the students before the protest, said the protest was to reject the recent 100 per cent increase in school fees by management.
“We reject the recent 100 per cent increase in school fees by the school management.
“This protest is to let management know our feelings and for them to cancel the increment immediately. They should know that many students are from poor families,“ he said.
Abuchi said it was unfortunate that while SUG was still negotiating with the school management on the proposed increment, the management went ahead to effect the 100 per cent increase.
The SUG president, however, told the students that the protest should be peaceful and warned against any form of vandalism or destruction of school property.
VIDEO: Students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, protest increase in school fees.
