The students of Lagos State University, Ojo, have shut both gates leading to the school in protest against soldiers torturing some students last week.

A parent who could not exit the campus told one of our correspondent that the students locked up both the Iyana-Iba and Igando gates, thereby preventing both vehicular and pedestrian movement.

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He said, “We have been here for some hours. The students locked up both gates, everywhere is filled with vehicles trying to come in and exit. The security men said the students shut the gates because their executives and some students were beaten by soldiers last week. We are all waiting at the gate, no movement.”

In a chat with the 32nd LASUSU Speaker, in person of comrade Opemipo Bangbopa who led the protest,She made it known that the University management had acknowledged their agitation and a proactive action had took place.

This Resulted to the Chief security Officer (C.S.O) been replaced by another person who will represent the Interest of students,named “Oluwole Ojo.”

Background Story

It could be recalled that the soldiers harassed lasuites on the 25th of February,2023-presidential election day following the refusal of the University’s security to open the Campus gate for electorate to exercise their franchise,as the campus was segmented as a polling unit in the 2023 Election.

This caused a mixed reaction on internet then,few minutes after,the University management via their spokesperson (LASU CIPR) debunked the purported Information and sets the record straight by explaining in details the exact reason for not opening the gate as earlier as expected. The statement fully reads;

PRESS RELEASE

SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT: LASU DID NOT DISENFRANCHISE ELIGIBLE VOTERS DURING SATURDAY 25TH FEBRUARY GENERAL ELECTIONS

The attention of the Lagos State University Management has been drawn to viral reports on social media to the effect that several individuals who came to the University Main Campus, Ojo, to exercise their franchise in the 2023 General Election of Saturday, 25th February 2023 were prevented from gaining entrance into the university campus where the polling unit is situated.

We wish to disclaim this report and state categorically that it is both inaccurate and malicious, and aimed at bringing the name of the university to disrepute by some members of the public.

Against this background, we wish to place on record as follows, that:

i. the university is currently on a break from all academic and administrative activities in line with the ministerial directive on the closure of institutions for the 2023 General Elections;

ii. due to the closure, and in view of security considerations, the University main gates have been placed under lock and key since Thursday, 23rd February 2023 and only the pedestrian gates are open to allow people with genuine business on the campus entry;

iii. as of the morning of Saturday, 25th February 2023 when the election was to hold, the university authority was yet to be communicated by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission on the exact location of the polling unit in the vast university compound;

iv. several voters who arrived early gained entrance into the university but because there was no information on the exact Polling Unit location, they were left loitering around the campus, which in itself was a security concern;

v. against this background, the security department was directed to shut the pedestrian gate until the INEC officials arrive at the campus and decide on the location of the Polling Unit. This explanation was made to those at the gate at the time;

vi. The INEC officials did not arrive until around 10 a.m., after which they decided on the location of the Polling Unit. It was apparently during this period that several videos were taken and made to go viral;

vii. as soon as the location was decided, the gate was open and all eligible voters were allowed into the campus and to the polling unit without any restriction;

viii. polling has since been held peacefully at the campus and results have been counted and announced.

It is imperative to note that Lagos State University did not shut its gates against some voters as being purported. The University has, in fact, been at the forefront of encouraging and educating members of the university community and the general to exercise their franchise, as evident on her social media platforms. In the pursuit of this:

i. the University facilitated the conduct of the Voters Registration Exercise at several locations on the campus and both members of the university community and the surrounding communities were allowed to participate in the exercise;

ii. using several platforms, the university has consistently encouraged voters to turn out and vote in the 2023 General Elections and indeed other elections.

It is therefore unkind and indeed very malicious for some individuals to attempt to give the institution a bad name for reasons best known to them.