The university students who are protesting the prolonged ASUU strike have accused some unnamed soldiers of attempting to run over them with their vehicle last Friday.
The students who had staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan the Oyo state capital, lamented that the military men forced them to move, for them to pass through while protesting.
One of the protesters, a 200 level student of the Department of Sociology at the University of Ibadan, Emiola Solomon, said the soldiers had driven a pick-up van with registration number — NA 1894 B05 and attempted to forcefully pass through the crowd of protesters.
Solomon said the students had peacefully assembled in front of the main gate of the university and occupied the roads linking the institution to Agbowo, Sango and Ojo; when a Nigerian army van approached the scene and “attempted to forcefully drive through the crowd.
“We had a team diverting vehicles and especially those on essential services and emergencies. But before that could be done for the army van, the driver attempted to run over some of the students.
“While the students tried to engage the driver, one of the soldiers who wore a bulletproof vest over his uniform, decided to cock his gun and pointed it at us”, he stated.
Another student who took part in the protest but craved anonymity, said the alleged harassment had rather emboldened the protesters to move round major roads in the city, and reiterated the call for reopening of the universities across the country.
“We then moved en masse to Sango where movements were halted along Ibadan polytechnic road and the Mokola-UI road,” he said.
The source said the Muslim students observed their Friday prayer on the road at Mokola, while the non-Muslims provided “cover” for them.
“Our counterparts in private and some state universities are not waiting for us. We will eventually go into the same labour market where restrictions on age and experiences would be placed before us,” the student said.
Solomon however said it was at that point that a senior military officer appeared with other soldiers to calm them.
“We were surprised that a father, whose child may also be home as a result of this unfortunate and avoidable strike, would attempt to kill protesting students. Is it to protect his job or what? What about his future and the future of this country? This will not stop us,” the student said.
Meanwhile, videos of the incident obtained by newsmen also show some protesters being forcefully pushed by a moving army van.
When it was reported the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. General Onyema Nwachukwu was called on phone, he didn’t respond. He however replied with a short message: “Good evening Nas. I have not received such information please. I will make effort to confirm from Ibadan.”
Reacting to the news, ASUU has condemned the alleged harassment of the protesters, urging security operatives to respect the fundamental rights of Nigerians. He said, “We peacefully conducted ourselves while conveying our frustration to the public through a public address system when an army van occupied by some soldiers attempted to pass through the crowd. assemble and protest against government policies, actions and inactions that are found to be bad.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Lagos zone of ASUU called for caution and civility among the security operatives, especially in their responses to “legitimate” protests by the students or other concerned individuals and groups.
The statement, which is titled: “Need for Extreme Caution, Democratic Civility and Sensitivity in Handling Students’ Protests,” and signed by the zonal chairman, Adelaja Odukoya, noted that the protests were forced on the students as a consequence of government’s insensitivity to the three-month-old ASUU strike.
The statement reads in part: “Army and Police have constitutional responsibilities to protect and not attack, maim or brutalise protesting students across the country. There is more than enough pains, anguish and bloodshed in the land on account of government failure and to allow security indiscretion to cause the death of a single student will be unconscionable and unacceptable.
“It is not surprising that a government has been accustomed and happy with students passivity and indifference to the criminal neglect and inadequate funding of our universities cannot but be shocked and angered by the new progressive and constructive awakening of Nigerian struggles to join force with our union and compel government to live up to its responsibilities for the education of Nigerian youth. This patriotic action of the Nigerian students is highly commendable and gives us hope for our beloved country.”
In the meantime, ASUU said it is in solidarity with the protesters, and that it keeps monitoring the protests and observed that they have been peaceful and orderly so far.
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