The National Association of Nigerian Students has issued a warning to the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding students’ right to protest, emphasizing that this right is universally recognized as a fundamental human right.
The National Public Relations Officer of the union, Giwa Temitope, responded to statements made by the DSS, which alleged that certain politicians were mobilizing student leaders for violent protests against the Federal Government over socioeconomic issues.
In a statement on Monday, the spokesperson for the security agency, Peter Afunanya, revealed intelligence reports suggesting that politicians were mobilizing student leaders, ethnic-based associations, youth, and disgruntled groups for a planned action.
Last week, it was reported that the Student Solidarity Group Against Fee Hike announced plans to protest against fee hikes at the University of Lagos on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
In support of this move, the NANS PRO issued a statement on Tuesday, confirming that the student body would be participating in the UNILAG protest. The NANS PRO also urged the DSS not to infringe on the rights of students to protest peacefully.
Giwa stated, “It is quite embarrassing that the DSS has derailed to become the propaganda arm of the Federal Government, thereby, raising false alarms and even interfering in affairs that do not in any way relate to their line of profession.”
He added, “As an association, we maintain that we are not satisfied with how the Nigerian society is being run, most especially, as regards arbitrary fee increments across our tertiary institutions, with the University of Lagos being a model.”
NANS expressed dissatisfaction with the UNILAG management’s failure to honor the agreement reached during a meeting with student leaders on August 2. This led the student body to schedule a protest at the university for September 6, with the demand that the management reverses the fee hike.
Students have been encouraged to participate in the protest to advocate for the immediate reversal of fees at the University of Lagos.
In July 2023, the UNILAG management increased fees significantly, raising them from N19,000 to N190,250 for students studying medicine. For courses that require laboratory and studio facilities, the fees were set at N140,250. The management cited “prevailing economic realities” as the reason for the fee hike.
