Press statement
The authorities of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have commenced
a vicious agenda to victimize over 22 students leaders for their roles in the
students protest of April 6 and 7, 2016. Some of these students have already
been invited to appear before a Senate Disciplinary Panel over sundry
allegations of misdemeanor.
The 48-hour protest was called by the University of Lagos Students
Union (ULSU) last April over complaints of inadequate electricity and water
supply to hostels and academic areas and the high cost of living on campus.
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) calls on the University
authorities to desist from following this ruinous path of victimizing a few
leaders over a protest in which thousands of students participated in livid anger
over the deterioration of their living and studying conditions. As examples of
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and other crisis-ridden academic institutions
show, this sort of vindictive “slash and burn” approach will further worsen the
crisis as it will completely break down whatever relationship still exist
between the administration and the students community. Without a healthy
relationship between the students populace and the administration, the stage is
set for a recurring decimal of conflict.
We therefore demand a halt to the on-going disciplinary process especially
because it violates all known principles of natural justice. For instance,
prior to their invitation to the Senate Disciplinary panel on recent students
protest, there is no evidence that any of the union leaders and activists were invited
to a fact-finding panel. This omission shows that this process is merely a
witch hunt to go after perceived enemies of the authorities amongst students.
We equally demand a halt to all other actions, many of which are plainly
illegal, that the University has taken since April 28 to impose an atmosphere
of fear and trepidation on campus and diminish the democratic rights of
students. Some of these actions include forcing students and their parents to
sign an indemnity and undertaken form as a condition for re-opening of the
University in May, ban on students gathering, suspension of the Students Union,
ejection of union leaders from their official accommodation days to examination.
Despite efforts by University officials to blackmail the last
April’s protest by claiming that union leaders had other motive, the reality is
that issues of poor welfare conditions and high cost of living were the
uppermost in the minds of the thousands of students that trooped out on April 6
and 7. Unfortunately, none of these demands has been met till this very day. Electricity
and water supply in hostel and academic areas are still inadequate, costs of
basic items are still beyond the means of poor students while the University
has failed to provide answers to enquiries as to the whereabouts of the two
additional generators the University is meant to have. Instead, the university
is more interested in going after students leaders and their union.
Especially for a University that barely more than a year ago had
taken the salutary step of restoring students unionism after a decade of
proscription, this unfolding situation is not only unacceptable, it will also have
far-reaching implication for the image of the University. Unless the
authorities desist, further attacks on the students populace and their right to
independent unionism will only portray the administration of the Vice
Chancellor, Prof. Rahman Bello as an intolerant one.
We call on all students to prepare to defend their affected
leaders. We also call on civil society organizations
and staff unions in the university to openly condemn the planned attacks on the
democratic rights of the affected students and be prepared to organize solidarity
actions.
Hassan Taiwo Soweto Michael Ogundele
National Coordinator (07033697259) National Secretary
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