Federal University Lokoja shuts campus as protesting students threaten to block highway

The Federal University Lokoja (FUL) has shut its campus after students threatened to block the Abuja-Lagos highway. 

Earlier, the university was thrown into mourning after a truck collided with a bus shuttle, killing five FUL students.

The students gathered at the school gate to pay their respects to the deceased colleagues.

The university management later declared lecture-free days from noon February 18 to February 19.

In a statement on Thursday, Rebecca Okojie, FUL registrar, said the management decided to honour the students who lost their lives in the tragic incident.

The varsity directorate also advised the students to vacate the school premises until further notice.

“Following the unfortunate incident, the students barricaded the gates of the university despite magnanimous interventions from the state government as well as frantic efforts and appeals by the university management for calm,” the statement reads.

“Based on the advice of the security agencies and to forestall further loss of lives, the vice-chancellor, after due consultation with management, has decided on behalf of the senate to close down the university indefinitely.

“Students are therefore advised to vacate the campuses before noon on Thursday, Feb. 20.”

On Wednesday, some students threatened to block the Abuja-Lagos highway if the federal government failed to provide safety measures on the road.

NAN reports that Benjamin Timothy, the student union government (SUG) president, also said his colleagues might block the highway during their protest.

Timothy claimed the school has now recorded a total of 12 student deaths under the same circumstances.