UNIJOS Crisis: Students Threaten Showdown over Dissolution of SUG, Fees Increment

By Jide Afolabi, Jos

Students of the University of Jos have threatened total showdown with the management of the institution, following the dissolution of the Student Union Government and the increment in the tuition fees.

The students described the dissolution of the SUG as unjust, illegal and an attempt to weaken them on the struggle against the ‘outrageous and arbitrary fees increment by the management.

It would be recalled that the UNIJOS management had last week dissolved the SUG and replaced it with Caretaker Committee for insubordination, misinforming the public, externalizing an internal issues, among other allegation.

The five-man Caretaker Committee includes, Wuyep Gideon Nansar as Chairman, Timdi Nkat, Secretary, Yilmazaka Philip Gershinen, Idi Christopher Ishaku and Ekweozor Chukugozie Nzube as Members.

The SUG has been a formidable union agitating for the reversal of the increment of the tuition fees from N27, 000 to N45, 000.

But the students have rejected the caretaker committee, describing it as illegal student body.

Reacting to the issues, the National Association of Plateau State Students (NAPSS) decried ‘the unjust and illegal’ dissolution of the union, giving the University Management 72 hours to reverse its action.

NAPSS National President, Mr Alexander Daklong in a press release obtained by CityMirrorNews on Saturday stated the increment in the tuition fees is detrimental to the poor students at it would jeopardize their education.

Daklong said: “The increment in the school fees is not just injustice to the students, but to the Plateau State citizens who are not financially buoyant to be technically excluded from sending their children to the University, considering the fact that the University is hosted by Plateau State, though a Federal government owned institution.

“We demand for the downward review of the school fees charges within the next 7 days.”

The NAPSS president called on all Plateau State students and Plateau sons and daughters to converge en-masse at the Plateau State Polytechnic, Jos campus to match to the University of Jos to make the formal submission of its demands.

He, however, cautioned prospective participants against any act capable of undermining the peaceful protest and its purpose, saying ‘all Plateau State students and committed citizens must be orderly, law abiding and must not cause any form of chaos in the course of our submissions.”