Uniport crisis: NANS gives ultimatum

By Olanrewaju Oyedeji

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS has given a 7-day ultimatum to the University of Port Harcourt authorities to resolve the lingering dispute with its students or face its wrath.

This ultimatum is coming on the heels of a fact-finding mission to UNIPORT by the umbrella students body to unravel the circumstances surrounding the decision by the management of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) to close the institution.
The university was closed last week after a violent protest by students led to the death of one person.

The protest was in reaction to a fee hike by UNIPORT authorities.

The violent protest resulted in the death of one Peter Oforum, a final year student.

Apart from its demand for scrapping the no-fees no exams policy, the UNIPORT chapter of NANS claimed it has uncovered plans by the school authorities to cover up the death of the student during the protest.
The students also described the closure of the school by its Senate and the suspension of all student union activities as illegal and provocative.
For now, the management of the university is insisting that the one-month closure of the institution is still in force while it explores all avenues towards resolving the present deadlock.
Meanwhile, NANS is demanding that no student should be victimised for participating in the protest or surcharged for damages on the school property when school eventually resumes.