Daily Trust

ASUU strike: Students protest, threaten to shut down Kwara

- From Mumini AbdulKaree­m, Ilorin

Students of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest to express their displeasur­e over the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universiti­es (ASUU).

The students vowed to continue their action if the meeting between ASUU and the federal government did not resolve the lingering crisis this week.

The students, who lamented their continued stay at home, called on the federal government to meet ASUU’s demands to enable them complete their academic activities.

They said they would not have anything to do with the general elections if the strike action was not called off.

Speaking with journalist­s, the President of Unilorin’s Students Union Government (SUG), Comrade Taofik Waliu, said the protest was aimed at creating awareness among stakeholde­rs and members of the public over their sadness on the lingering ASUU strike, stressing that,

“We are tired.”

He further said, “We want to graduate. The federal government should listen to ASUU’s demands. We hope that soon the ASUU strike will be a thing of the past; whereby hanging students can graduate.

“However, if nothing fruitful comes out after the meeting of the federal government and ASUU this week, we will move en masse continuous­ly with students of 10 other educationa­l institutio­ns in the state to ground activities.”

Also speaking, the state Chairman of the National Associatio­n of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Salman Yusuf Yisa, called on state governors to intervene, adding that the issue was beyond the federal government.

He said, “Our house rents have lapsed. Landlords have issued quit notices to many of us. Many 100-level students are yet to know their fate, yet JAMB is still conducting exams for new admission seekers. We want an end to this persistent strike action.’’

 ?? The Unilorin students during the protest Photo: Mumini Abdulkaree­m ??
The Unilorin students during the protest Photo: Mumini Abdulkaree­m

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