EKITI UNIVERSITY SUSPENDS ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES OVER STUDENTS’ PROTEST

Ekiti State University in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has been shut down for two weeks over a protest by students who are demanding a review of late registration fee and other fees by the institution.

During the protest, the student blocked the main gate of the institution preventing both students and lecturers from gaining entrance into the university.

The students condemned the N5,000 late registration fee imposed on them, declaring it as unbearable in the face of hike in their school fees among others.

They added that the fee was a form of extortion by the school management.

The students who carried placards with various inscriptions were demanding a review of the late registration fee imposed by the school authority.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Edward Olanipekun, on behalf of the university Senate, had approved the suspension of academic activities on the campus for two weeks with effect from today.

The school’s Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs, Mr. Bode Olofinmuagun, in a statement, said all students of the university should vacate the campus premises immediately and should not be seen within the campus premises for the next two weeks.

Speaking on the protest, the Students Union Government Public Relations Officer, Dotun Ogunsanya, said it is worrisome that they do not enjoy any facility in the institution, as there have been power outages both within and outside the university premises for more than five years. He described the hike in fees as extortion by the school management.

In his reaction, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Ayodele Babatope, said the refusal of the students were penalised for not complying with the directive of the institution to register early for academic activities.