By Jerry Uwah
Lagos
Students of Lagos State University (LASU) yesterday brought traffic at the busy Ikorodu Road to a standstill as they hit the streets to protest the state government’s alleged refusal to bring down school fees.
Traffic on both sides of the road was at a complete standstill for several minutes as the students took over the expressway.
The president of LASU student Union, Mr. Nurudeen Yusuf, told newsmen that the street protest was the last line of defence against the state government’s recalcitrant stance on the vexed issue of fees hike.
The students’ leader said the state government asked the students’ union to submit to it a proposal on how much fees the students would be able to pay. He said that the proposal was submitted to the state government more than one month ago, but that nothing had been done about it.
One of the students who spoke to new men said: “They have taken our money. They have taken our votes. We will not allow them to take education from us”.
The protesting students argued that a medical student in LASU has to pay the sum of N350, 000 seven times to be able to graduate, while a student of mass communication has to pay N250, 000 for four years.
The issue of the hike in tuition fees in LASU has been a running battle between the government of Babatunde Fashola and the students who are backed by human rights activists.