The National Association of Nigerian Students’ Joint Campus
Council (NANS JCC) says it has suspended its planned protest over the hike in
school fees by the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Last month, UNILAG announced an adjustment in the obligatory
fees for both returning and new students.
The institution said the hike, which is to take effect from
September 1, became necessary to “cushion harsh economic realities and meet its
obligation to its students, staff, and municipal service providers”.
The students council had planned on embarking on a protest.
But in a statement on Tuesday, Alimi Idris and Abdulrazak
Yusuf, chairman and secretary of the student association, addressed the hike in
tuition.
The student leaders said the suspension of the protest was
due to the intervention of Idowu Owohunwa, the commissioner of police.
They commended the commissioner and asked him to ensure the
students’ grievances were communicated to the relevant authorities.
Benjamin Hundeyin, police spokesperson, said the
commissioner met with the student leaders on Monday.
Hundeyin said the students planned to protest on Tuesday but
were invited by the commissioner for discussion to find a solution.
He said the commissioner assured the students of a meeting
with the university’s vice-chancellor to discuss their grievances.
Hundeyin said a police-student relations committee (PSRC)
was set up to address issues that might arise from the meeting in the future.
“One of the students
in the delegation, who is an indigent student, was given a scholarship by the
CP throughout his university education,” he said.
“Based on this and others, the student leaders agreed to
suspend the protest. They promised to maintain peace within the campus.”
A breakdown of the fees shows that the mandatory charges for
one academic session for new undergraduate students include N126,325 for
courses without laboratory/studio.
New students were asked to pay N176,325 as mandatory charges
for one academic session for courses with laboratory and studio.
A further breakdown of the approved mandatory charges for
one academic year or session for returning students showed that they would pay
N100,750 for courses without laboratory and studio.
The approved mandatory charges for courses with laboratory
and studio, according to the statement is N140,250.
The approved charges for all medical students of the
institution was N190,250.
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