Forty-six students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State are currently in police custody over protest.
The protest is staged to address the hike in tuition.
It would be recalled that the governing council of the school and the Ondo State government last week approved the increase in tuition fee from an average of N30,000 to N180,000 and N200,000. Since then, the students had shut down activities in the state capital for three days.
Some of the major markets including the popular Oja-Oba were also shut as the student blocked all entrance to the place.
Market women, youths and parents in their numbers have also joined the students’ protest as they blocked major roads chanting solidarity and “aluta” songs.
Femi Joseph, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, confirmed the arrest to Daily Trust, adding that thugs have hijacked the protest.
Joseph revealed that they had implored the students to end the protest in order to prevent thugs from hijacking it.
However, the reverse is now the case
He further said that those arrested would be charged to court.
But the students have vowed they will not end the protest until government reversed the decision.
The students also alleged that they were arrested near the state government house as the policemen used tear gas and guns to scare them away even as some were arrested.
The chairman of the institution’s governing council, Tunji Abayomi said the fee hike was inevitable if the university will have to functioning.
