We urge more protests until the fees are reversed
PRESS STATEMENT
The
Education Rights Campaign condemns the arrest and arraignment of eight students
of Lagos State University (LASU) following the protest led by the Students
Union on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 along Oshodi end of Lagos-Ibadan expressway. We
also welcome the steadfastness of the students in the struggle to defeat the
outrageous fees regime ranging between about N194,000 and N350,000.
The eight students were charged before a Magistrate Court in Ikeja on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 for staging a peaceful protest against the outrageous fees introduced in the university by the Lagos State Government since 2011. The students all pleaded not guilty to the charge of "breach of public peace" preferred against them. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Eniola Fabamwo, admitted them to bail in the sum of N10, 000 while adjourning the case until August 6 for mention.
The eight students were charged before a Magistrate Court in Ikeja on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 for staging a peaceful protest against the outrageous fees introduced in the university by the Lagos State Government since 2011. The students all pleaded not guilty to the charge of "breach of public peace" preferred against them. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Eniola Fabamwo, admitted them to bail in the sum of N10, 000 while adjourning the case until August 6 for mention.
The lawyers who
represented the affected students at the court were L. A Ibrahim and Ayo
Ademiluyi, a leading member of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC).
We also
commend the solidarity action of members of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja
branch who stormed the court to prevail on the magistrate to grant all the
students bail.
We demand that the frivolous charge against the students be dropped and that the Commissioner of Police and the Lagos State Government tender an unreserved apology to the students.
In continuation of the campaign, the students on Thursday, June 5, 2014 staged a peaceful protest to the Governor's Office at Alausa, Ikeja and occupied the front entrance with mattresses and cooking utensils for hours demanding a reduction of the fees to N46, 500 for returning students and N65, 500 for freshers.
We once again call on the Lagos State Government to immediately reverse the fees and recall all the students who have dropped out of school as a result of the unjust fee increase. We salute the leadership of the Students' Union and the entire students of LASU for their steadfastness, courage and determination since the campaign started, and we urge them to continue with the mass actions until their demands are met.
We demand that the frivolous charge against the students be dropped and that the Commissioner of Police and the Lagos State Government tender an unreserved apology to the students.
In continuation of the campaign, the students on Thursday, June 5, 2014 staged a peaceful protest to the Governor's Office at Alausa, Ikeja and occupied the front entrance with mattresses and cooking utensils for hours demanding a reduction of the fees to N46, 500 for returning students and N65, 500 for freshers.
We once again call on the Lagos State Government to immediately reverse the fees and recall all the students who have dropped out of school as a result of the unjust fee increase. We salute the leadership of the Students' Union and the entire students of LASU for their steadfastness, courage and determination since the campaign started, and we urge them to continue with the mass actions until their demands are met.
Hassan
Taiwo Soweto
National Coordinator
edurightsforall@yahoo.co.uk
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