Students of the University of Abuja on Monday protested the lack electricity and water supply to the permanent campus of the university.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that more than 1,000 students gathered on campus about 8am, barricading the road leading to the Senate building and classes.
Some of them told NAN that the protest became necessary because the authorities had not provided electricity and water at the campus for three months running.
According to a Theatre Arts student, Mike Ajeoja, there has been no water and electricity in the hostels at the permanent site of the university for the past three months.
He said they had drawn the attention of the authorities to their plight, but they did nothing about it.
He said, “We are left with no choice but to come out and tell the world our problems.
“We will not stop the protest unless our problems are solved.”
A female student, who craved anonymity, said she had not had her bath for some days due to lack of water.
According to her, some of students use sachet water to bath, cook and even wash clothes.
“We are tired of staying without water and light. We wear squeezed clothes to the classes and we do not want such situation to continue,’’ she added.
The Information Officer of the school, Mr. Waziri Garba, confirmed the situation to NAN on telephone, saying the students were protesting lack of electricity and water supply in the school.
Garba, however, appealed to them to remain calm, assuring that the management was already taking steps to resolve the problem.
Meanwhile, the Business Manager, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Gwagwalada, Baro Ahmad, said it was not true that the school had no power for three months running.
He blamed power outage in the university on some electrical problems.
Ahmad, however, assured the students and school management of early restoration of steady power to the campus.
“By 4 p.m. today (Monday), there will be steady power supply to the permanent site,’’ he said.
