Students at the University of Lagos have urged the Sabo Police Station’s security personnel to promptly release their fellow students arrested during a peaceful protest. At 8 a.m., the protesters gathered at the institution’s main gate to express their opposition to the university’s management’s mandatory fee hike.
In an August 21 statement, the university’s management announced adjustments to the obligatory fees, set to take effect during the first semester of the 2023–2024 academic session. The adjustments were attributed to prevailing economic conditions and the university’s need to meet its commitments to students, staff, and service providers.
According to the statement, the mandatory charges for one academic session for new undergraduate students are N126,325 for courses without a laboratory/studio and N176,325 for courses with a laboratory or studio. Returning students, on the other hand, are required to pay N100,750 for courses without laboratories and studios, among other charges, for one academic year or session.
Mr. Balogun Ibrahim, a student leader, emphasised their determination to have the fees reduced: “The reason we are here is to register our displeasure over the about 500 percent increase in the obligatory fees, by the management of the university.” He expressed frustration that, despite previous dialogues with management, their concerns remained unaddressed.
Mr. Miracle Yemo, another student leader, called for the university’s management to reconsider its position, given the current economic climate.
In response, Prof. Musa Obalola, Dean of the Student Affairs Division, acknowledged the presence of indigent students and clarified that the fee hike was not unique to UNILAG. He explained that the increase was necessary to provide quality teaching and learning resources and emphasised that the university’s current obligatory fees were among the lowest in federal universities.
Obalola mentioned measures to assist struggling students, including the “Adopt a Student Project” and the “Work and Study Project.” He also revealed that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, had proposed personally supporting a medical student.
Concerning the protesters, Obalola suggested that many may not be legitimate UNILAG students and raised the possibility of external influences with political motives being involved.
He emphasised the importance of law-abiding behaviour among students and suggested that security operatives may have acted based on intelligence reports of potential disruptions by criminal elements attempting to hijack the protest.
