The Lagos Police Command, yesterday, deployed its personnel to the main gate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, to forestall any protest by students.
Daily Sun gathered that the deployment followed the expiration of a two-week ultimatum issued by the management of UNILAG by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to restore the Students Union of the institution.
The university management under Prof. Rahman Bello, former vice chancellor in April 2013 dissolved the students union following a protest over welfare issues. The protest disrupted academic and administrative activities for days.
But online reports claimed the security personnel were deployed following students’ protest demanding for the restoration of the students union.
A source confirmed NANS issued an ultimatum two weeks ago to the university management regarding the reinstatement of the students union disbanded some years back.
“I guess the university management actually took their threat of protest seriously and invited policemen, currently stationed at the main gate of the university. So, this means the police presence at the main gate was due to NANS ultimatum but there wasn’t any protest. The security personnel are armed and in front of the main gate.’’
The Head, Communication Unit of UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem told Daily Sun that there was no protest by its students or NANS (on Monday) inside or outside the campus.
She explained that policemen were doing their job but did not state if they were invited by the university management.
Daily Sun, however, gathered that the policemen are also stationed at Yaba College of Technology and Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka.