FG puts VCs on red alert over planned protest

• Olurode advises protesters on better strategy

Federal Government has directed vice chancellors to ensure safety of students, staff universities’ property as preparation for the #Endbadgovernance protest gathers steam.

In a memo to all vice chancellors, dated July 28, 2024, the government expressed concern that staff, students and university property could be at risk if preventive measures were not taken.

The correspondence, with reference number NUC/ES/138/Vol. 65, was signed by the Acting Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki.

The correspondence, titled: ‘Urgent Arrangements for the Security and Safety of University Staff, Students and Property During the Proposed Nation Wide Protests’ was sent to all vice chancellors of Nigerian universities.

It reads: “The Honourable Minister of Education has directed that the attention of vice chancellors of all Nigerian universities be formally drawn to the plan by unknown groups to embark on nationwide protests.

“The Federal Government is not unaware of the right of any Nigerian to peaceful protest, but is concerned about the safety of staff, students and university property should there be any protest action.

“Consequently, the honourable minister has directed that vice chancellors of all Nigerian universities should take pro-active steps to ensure the security and safety of the university community, including staff and students. In addition, vice chancellors are to, please, issue specific statements to assure staff and students of their safety. It is also advisable that students remain on campus to focus on their academic pursuits so as to avoid exposure to any potential danger during the planned protests”.

Commenting on the planned protest, a professor of Political Sociology, Lai Olurode, yesterday, urged the planners to be creative and scientific in their approach to the protest.

Olurode, who was a national commissioner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), gave the advice in a statement made available to The Guardian in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He said that going by previous experiences, the consequences and backlash of civil protests, the outcomes had not been salutary.

He said: “The most common form of civil protest in Nigeria is street protests or marches. But Nigerians can be more creative by considering alternatives to street marches as forms of civil disobedience.

“If we go by previous experiences about the consequences and backlash of civil protests, the outcomes have not been salutary.

“The question then is why employ the same mode of behaviour that hadn’t produced any substantive outcome in the past.”

He suggested that the protest could be done through petitions or even boycotts of government services in place of street protests.