AAU students protest over N20,000 late registration fine

Academic and commercial activities within Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, were crippled on Thursday following a protest by students over inability to register for their courses.

DAILY POST reports that the students, in thousands, as early as 6:30 am blocked the entrance gate to the main campus thereby prevented lecturers, students and other staff from gaining access to the school.

A lecturer, who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, said he stayed outside the gate for more than one hour.

He said the students embarked on the protest over their inability to register for their courses as well as the N20,000 penalty for late registration.

“It become obvious that the students were worried when it dawned on them that the management will not listen to their plea.

“As a result, the students went ahead to lock the entrance gate to the school, locking out both students and staff of the institution this morning.

“The protest was massive. As early as 6:30 am, the students blocked the school’s gate. They are protesting over their inability to complete the registration of their course works.

“They have been having network challenges in registering for their course works. And today is the last day of the registration. Any student that failed to register today will pay a penalty of N20,000,” he said.

He said the protesters were mainly students of the faculties of law and management science.

He alleged that majority of the students were also transfered to other departments via introduction of proceeding list they said was unknown to the law, rules and regulations of the University.

Meanwhile, a memorandum issued by the Acting Registrar of the University, Mr.Ambrose Odiase, said the university’s Senate had scheduled an emergency meeting to respond to the students’ protest

The notice, dated June 6, 2024, said the meeting was scheduled for 1:00 pm.

“I am directed to convey an emergency meeting of the Senate today, 6th June 2024, to address matters of urgent importance, including the issue of course registration and proceeding list for law students.

“The meeting is mandatory for all members,” he said.

At the time of filing this reports, the Senate was said to have extended the registration by two weeks.