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From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Human and vehicular movement in the university town of Nsukka and its environs on Thursday was grounded as the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) staged a protest over the continued strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The protest started from the first gate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka through Enugu Road to Opi junction where the protesters blocked the 9th Mile Makurdi highway for many hours which made movement in and out of Nsukka town difficult.
The protesters numbering more than 3000, singing solidarity songs with some placards with different inscriptions, such as, “Is it a crime to be a student in a public institution in Nigeria?
“No suspension of ASUU strike no party primaries, “We are tired of staying at home, FG should settle with ASUU so that students will go back to school.
“FG and ASUU are playing politics with our future.
“Politicians have N100m to buy election form but FG says no money to meet ASUU demands,” among others.
Speaking with newsmen, the leader of the protesters Emmanuel Obi, Chairman, Joint Campus Committee (JCC) Enugu State, said that students decides to embark on the protest nationwide to express their anger and unhappiness over ASUU prolonged strike which started in the past two months forcing students in public universities to stay at home.
”Students all over the country are not happy staying at home in the past two months because of the Federal Government’s inability to resolve its face-off with ASUU.
“Last Monday, ASUU added another three months to the strike, if nothing is done students will be at home another three months.
“Government should meet ASUU demands now so that the union will suspend the strike and students will go back to school,’ he said.
He said NANS would sustain the protests across the country until ASUU suspend the strike.
“The NANS national leadership has directed students in the country to block airports, major highways, Federal and state secretariats, minsters offices and road leading to Aso Rock by next week,’ he said.
