WAR IN LASU : Students Disrupt Exams, Stone Vice Chancellor (PHOTOS)

Students of the Lagos State University (LASU) went on the rampage on Thursday, disrupting the university’s  second semester examination and destroying properties in the process.

The students had closed and halted all activities Wednesday night as they protested within and in front of the school premises, while blocking the main gate and making bonfires on the Lagos-Badagry expressway.

According to eyewitness, the students threw stones and sticks at the University Vice Chancellor Prof. John Obafunwa, as he tried to evade them.

It was gathered that before the 6-months ASUU strike which ended in December, the school's website had been closed down by the school authorities, preventing students from completing their registration. Now the strike is over, exams are starting and the portal is still closed.

One of the students who claimed anonymity said, "Now that we have resumed, it is still the same thing. Exam is starting today and some students haven't yet registered. The Vice Chancellor said he is not going to open the portal which means all the students affected will have extra year after paying 250,000 as school fees. Most of the affected students paid N250,000 as school fees. Normally, the web portal is closed down a week before exam. The affected final year students will have to get an extra year. It won't cost the VC a dime to order the opening of the portal. That was the reason for yesterday's protest."

 

According to the students, only 708 were able to register before the portal was shut again leaving, 1292 students to their fate.

When the students union government went to plead on behalf of the students, the VC was reported as saying those yet to register are insignificant and would automatically have to carry the session over, a statement which infuriated the students and they decided to take laws into their hands.

Efforts to speak with the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Kabiru Akinyemi, was not successful as he said he cannot comment on the matter now.

However the speaker of the Students Parliamentary Council,  Sodiq Adewunmi Sanni, while speaking with journalist said, “The university management needs to consider the students, they are paying the highest school fees for a state university in Nigeria. Even though I am not affected, the students’ school fees is outrageous. They have gone through a lot and to now deny them registration is not in anybody’s good interest.

He therefore advised that the management postpone the exams till next week, so as to accommodate the 1292 students that are yet to register.