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Anti-Riot Policemen Fire Teargas At Protesting Ondo Varsity Students

"The Governor has been threatening to flush us out but we say no to this because we need reductions in our school fees.

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Anti-riot policemen on Wednesday fired teargas on protesting students of Ondo State owned Universities who were demonstrating a hike in their tuition.

The teargas canisters caused many of the protesting students to retreat from Oba Adesida road, a popular meeting point for the demostrators.

The students mainly from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko and the Ondo State University of Science Technology Okitipupa have been calling for a downward review in their school fees.

As the protests entered the second day, the students mobilized to shut down the popular Arakale road as they sang different solidarity songs and carried placards bearing different inscriptions.  

Sahara Reporters observed the show of force applied by the anti-rioting policemen to disperse the protesting undergraduates.

A student from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Miss Ibidapo Adefunke, who was affected by the teargas said the police has always been an enemy to mass action saying that nothing will discourage the them.

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"You can see the police using all the force they have use. You witnessed it. This has been a peaceful protest, but the police are making it as if it is a war zone.

“They have just fired teargas on us and we have to run for our dear life but we will not relent. We are would surely come back and We say Aluta Continua" she said.

Addressing journalists, Comrade Samuel Adesomoju, President of the Students Union Government at Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko, described the teargassing of the protesting students as inhuman.

Comrade Adesomoju noted that the student desmostrators would not succumb to police brutality adding that they had all resolved to say no to increment in their school fees.

He added that the students remained resolute in their struggle to ensure that the astronomical hike in the fee is reduced.

"This is unjust and it is inhuman and both AAUA and OSUSTECH have all been at home for three weeks now.

"We are saying No to all the satanic increments in our Universities by Governor Akeredolu's government.

"We have tried all we could to make the Governor understands us but he has failed to listen. He showed he is recalcitrant, arrogant and draconic.

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"The Governor has been threatening to flush us out but we say no to this because we need reductions in our school fees.

"We have mineral resources in Ondo state but the governor has failed to look into them hence he is chasing after how to plant cannabis.

"We are telling him now to increase the subvention giving to our school so that the standard of learning can increase and improve in Ondo state.

"And for peace reign, we are calling on the Governor to reduce the hike in our tuition in tertiary institutions of the state" he said.

Also speaking, Mr. Kowe Odunayo, a former Chairman of Joint Campus Committee (JJC) of the National Association of Nigeria Students berated Governor Akeredolu for the hike in school fees of the students.

Mr. Odunayo, however, said that the protesting students would resist all means by the state government to commercialize every levels of education in the state.

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