Leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students from all universities in the South-East region protested the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ three-month strike action in Enugu State on Friday.
On February 14, 2022, the umbrella body of lecturers in public universities across Nigeria declared a four-week national strike to, among other things, force the Federal Government to raise the salaries of Nigerian university academics.
Students who took to the streets to protest on Friday gave the government one week to resolve all of the issues that led to the ASUU strike, or they would be forced to shut down all political activities across the country.
The student leaders, led by the South-East Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Ibeabuchi Onyia, had gathered at the New Heaven by Naira Triangle Roundabout around 12:30 p.m. and marched peacefully through Enugu-Abakaliki to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport roundabout.
They also carried placards with messages such as “we are tired of staying at home, we want to go back to school,” “Governor should use the N80 billion the Accountant-General stole to settle ASUU,” “FG/ASUU we want to graduate,” and “FG/ASUU we want to graduate.” Your students are suffering as a result of the change from a four-year course to a six-year course. Stop the ASUU strike now,” among other things.
Comrade Onyia, speaking to journalists at the Airport roundabout in Emene, warned the Federal Government to end the strike within one week, adding that Nigerian students would no longer remain silent.
He claimed that the All Progressives Congress-led government was a sham and that they were only interested in prolonging the strike because they wanted to use students for thuggery in the upcoming elections.
“They have stolen the country dry to contest for various political positions in 2023 but if they don’t resolve the strike issues we are going to make sure they have it hot.
“We are not relenting on this, we are ready to die for this. It is either the strike is suspended or the Federal Government tells us what they have for us.
“We came to the airport because that is where the elites and decision-makers can see us and hear us. If the FG and ASUU don’t resolve and call off the strike before Friday, next week, we will move all the students from across the South-East to occupy the airport for one week,” he said.
Also speaking, the chairman, Joint Campus Committee, NANS, Enugu State chapter, Comrade Emmanuel Obi, said “We are on the road because we are tired of the tussle between ASUU and Federal Government. After we have spent two months at home, ASUU extended the strike action by three months.
“What it means is that we, the students, will be at home for five months doing nothing. You know that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. We are tired of this nonsense between ASUU and the FG which has threatened our future. They should allow us to go back to our schools,” he said.