Men of the Lagos State Police Command, Lagos Airport Police Command and students, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students, may be set for a showdown over the students’ plan to ground the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Monday (today).
The students’ planned mass action is in continuation of their protest against the ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
While the students told our correspondent on Sunday that they will commence the grounding of the nation’s airports with that of Lagos on Monday (today), police authorities said the students are free to come out and see what awaits them.
NANs National Taskforce Chairman, Olumide Ojo, said the association was aware of the Federal Government’s plan to mobilise the military against its protest as gathered by Tdpnews.
He said the move wouldn't stop the association’s protest at the Lagos airport.
However he said “We can secure ourselves against external forces. We are aware that the Federal Government is mobilising the military to the venue of our protest but that will deter us from grounding the airport".
According to him “Since last Tuesday, we have been grounding the major highways from Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Guru Maharaji, we blocked Gbongan and so on. These are the roads being used by the masses, so we decided to focus on the routes government officials use most, which are the international airports and others.
NANS Coordinator, Zone D, Adegboye Olatunji also confirmed the development in a separate interview.
He noted that the Lagos airport would be the first among the airport's to be grounded by the students. All we want is for the government to answer us. We want an end to the strike
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command dismissed the threat by the student body to ground operations at the Lagos airport and urged citizens to go about their lawful duties.
The command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin said, “Speaking from a position of confidence, everything is intact, and there is no threat on the airport or the airspace.
“However, the protesters who issued the threat are free to come out and see what awaits them. We, however, urge law-abiding Lagosians to go about their lawful duties without fear of intimidation or harassment.”
The airport police command’s spokes person, Olayinka Ojelade, also said, “Our men have been on standby since Friday, so nobody is folding arms to watch the students disrupt aviation activities.
In addition the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in an interview however, commended the students for fighting for their rights.
“We commend NANS members for fighting for their rights. It is their right. The pro-chancellors are doing well too. We hope the government will listen to them because they (pro-chancellors) understand what is happening in the Nigerian universities,” he said.
Osadeke also said that ASUU is ready to honour the invitation of the speaker of the house of representatives Femi Gbajabiamila
The ASUU union, on February 14, 2022, embarked on a strike following what it described as the failure of the government to meet some of its demands and on August 26, it declared a total and indefinite strike.
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