The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Lagos Zone has called on the authorities of both the Nigerian Army and Police to rein-in their officers with trigger happy disposition towards the ongoing students’ protests across the country.
Its Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Adelaja Odukoya said it is the responsibilities of the Army and Police to protect and not attack, maim or brutalise armless protesting students, adding that the ongoing protest is forced upon the students who have been out of their classrooms as a consequence of government insensitivity to the more three months old ASUU strike.
The press release read, “ASUU Lagos Zone wishes to use this opportunity to call on both the Nigerian Army and Police to rein-in their officers with trigger happy disposition towards popular protests, particularly legitimate protest of students. This is in view of the ongoing protests forced upon students who have been out of their classrooms as a consequence of government insensitivity to the more three months old ASUU strike.
“The Army and Police have constitutional responsibilities to protect and not attack, maim or brutalise protesting students across the country. There is more than enough pains, anguish and bloodshed in the land on account of government failure that to allow security indiscretion to cause the death of a single student will be unconscionable and unacceptable.
“It is not surprising that a government has been accustomed and happy with students’ passivity and indifference to the criminal neglect and inadequate funding of our universities cannot but be shocked and angered by the new progressive and constructive awakening of Nigerian struggles to join force with our Union and compel government to live up to it responsibilities for the education of Nigerian youth. This patriotic action of the Nigerian students is highly commendable and gives us hope for our beloved country.
“ASUU is in solidarity with, and have been monitoring the mass protest by students across the country which have been very peaceful, orderly and coordinated.
“We therefore urge the Army and Police High Commands to issue stringent directives of caution to their operatives who have made two to three attempts at attacking students in order to avoid unnecessary accidents.
The attempt to crush students with an Army van today at the gate of University of Ibadan (UI) is shameful, condemnable and disgraceful. It seems the security operatives are yet to learn anything useful from the #EndSARS revolts.
It cannot be overemphasised that students, like all citizens, have fundamental rights to protest as enshrined in our Constitution.
“ASUU Lagos Zone salutes our students for their steadfastness and resolute struggle to get the Federal Government to adequately fund education at all levels. With more organizing and collective actions, by d students, parents, civil societies and other stakeholders’ victory will surely come!”