Students of the University of Abuja on Monday, staged a
peaceful protest over the current Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) strike action, describing it as selfish.
Mr Nathan Oguwike, leader of the Students In Nigeria Re- awakening Initiative (STIRIN), a non-governmental organisation in the university, said students were tired of staying at home. Oguwike said ASUU should stop using students for bargain and urged them to immediately call off the strike to avoid further
suffering on the part of students.
According to him, students will no longer support the action of ASUU, which he described as a selfish one. ‘’In this continuous strike action, ASUU is just being selfish
because the students’ interest are not being protected. ‘’We have been patient enough and now we see that they are
not ready to shift ground; neither is the Federal Government ready to meet all their demands. We are therefore, saying enough is enough. ‘’ASUU should go and settle their differences with the government in
court, we do not want to be part of it. All we want is to return to class,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students
first converged at the university mini campus before moving out to town, where they were later disbanded by the police. Meanwhile, the DCO, Police Area Command in Gwagwalada, Mr Jacob Popogbe, said the police were aware of the students’ protest and had drafted their personnel to maintain law and order. ‘’Everything is under control. Our men are out there to make sure that the students have a peaceful protest’’ he said.
NAN further reports that all efforts made to interview Mr Waziri Garba, the Information Officer of the university on the students’ action failed.
