There was heavy presence of security operatives at the main gates of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu following the planned 5 million-man march by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) against the prolonged indefinite strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Enugu metropolis.
The operatives also flooded the NNPC Junction, Abakaliki Road, Emene Enugu, where the students were supposed to have cinverged before proceeding to block the airport to prevent any form of gathering by the students.
The organisers had through flyers said that the event would begin by 9am .
But as early as 7am on Friday, the operatives took over the venues where the proposed protest was to hold.
As of the time of filing this report, the organisers of the protest were yet to be seen.
The students had been mobilising on social media platforms after the expiration of the nine-day ultimatum for the federal government and the ASUU to resolve the matter.
In a statement last week, the coordinator, NANS Zone F (Southeast), Comr. Onyia Ibeabuchi Moses (Aluta Apostle IBB), described the extension of the industrial action as “a very sour taste…
“This is coming at a time when the children of most politicians and top government functionaries are enrolled in the best universities overseas receiving uninterrupted studies.
“A time when politicians are paying up to the tune of a hundred million naira to purchase expression of interest and nomination forms for elections next year.
“A time when our leaders both at the state and federal levels are budgeting huge sums of money for election campaigns. A time when the federal government has budgeted and set asides huge part of our common patrimony and state resources for elections.
“This is coming at a time when key position holders in this government whose net salary in 4years does not amount up to a 100 million naira are falling over themselves purchasing forms which should ordinarily be above their financial capacity.
“We will no longer keep quiet nor pretend all is well because we are no longer at ease. We want the federal government to know that their plans of keeping Nigerian students idly at home so that they can be used as willing tools, thugs and underdogs in the forthcoming general elections is dead on arrival. We vehemently refuse to be the devil’s workshop.
“Unequivocally and in unison, we say a big no to this extension and by the virtue of this press release notify the Government of Nigeria, ASUU, Security Agencies and Masses of our stand and position,”the statement reads.
(The Nation)
