NANS protest paralyses activities at secretariat

National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Osun Chapter, on Monday protested over the nine months old strike by their lecturers and paralysed activities at the state Secretariat complex in Osogbo.

The students, who started the protest from the popular Ola-Iya Junction to the complex in Abere, Osogbo, caused a gridlock which made motorists to spend two to four on the road.

At the secretariat, the students shut the gate and stopped all vehicular movement into and out of the premises.

Some civil servants already at work at the complex ran for safety on sighting the students.

The placard carrying students later opened the gate but did not allow any vehicle to enter.

Some inscriptions on the placards read: " Let our lecturers resume since education is our right; We are tired of staying at home, re-open our campuses.’’

Armed security men, including members of the Department of State Security Service, the police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, watched developments at the scene.

The students demanded that the Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, and address them.

Mr Lawrence Oyeniran, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, who later came to address the student, was not allowed to talk.

Oyeniran later left the crowd with the help of the police when the students became aggressive.

Addressing newsmen, the Osun NANS President, Mr Lukman Adekitan, said they were protesting for government to pay the striking lecturers.

Adekitan said they had been at home since January because of the strike by the lecturers over the nine months salaries owed them.

"Since January, we have been at home due to the strike; we are tired of this and we want the governor to do something about it.

" What we are doing today is to fight for our future and our right because education is our fundamental right," he said.

Adekitan said until government paid the salary arrears, the students would not allow any activities to take place at the secretariat.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) recalls that the lecturers under the auspices of Academic Staff Union of Osun State-Owned Tertiary Institutions on Sept. 14 staged a protest over their salary arrears.