Student groups storm YABATECH, demand reversal

The National Association of Nigerian students and the Alliance of Nigerian students against Neo-liberal Attacks have stormed Yaba college

The student groups alleged the management of incessant increment in the institution’s tuition fees, proscription of the student Union Government, and the suspension of 21 students last year over their alleged roles in a protest last year.

In a recent protest, students from within and outside the institution converged at the gate with placards bearing various inscriptions like; “Bring back our comrades”, “we say no to increment in our school fees,” “Recession in the land, the increments must be reversed” among others. They also sang solidarity songs.

Before long, men of the Nigerian police force arrived at the scene in large numbers. Not bothered by the presence of security men, the students continued their protest until the Registrar of the institution and the Dean of Students Affairs, Mr Oladipo Ademola came to address the crowd.

Speaking with The Nation’s CampusLife, Akinola Abiodun, the director of Travel and Exchange of the National Association of Nigerian Students said the protest was to demand for a better deal for the students, requesting that the 21 students suspended last year and the proscribed Students Union Government be reinstated as well as a downward reversal of the increased fees.

He said: “In the last two years, there has been no students Union Government in this institution. During this period, the school fees has been increased twice. From #19,500 the fee was increased to #23,400 and to #34,000.

“For fresh students, the increment was from #23,000 to #35,000  and for the part-time students it was increased from 55,000 to 84,000. Most of the students have been tortured with this, some have had to defer their studies by a session to raise money.”