The meeting between the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, and protesting Nigerian students ended in a deadlock as the minister walked out on them.
The students, in their hundreds occupied the gate of the National Assembly (NASS) on Monday morning, demanding that the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) be resolved.
‘ASUU Must Go! Open the gate!’ the students chanted as they moved from the Unity Fountain to the NASS complex. They were however stopped by security operatives at the NASS gate.
The National President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Sunday Asefon, who led the students, said the police officers that prevented them from entering the NASS complex should have joined the protesting students because they also have children in schools who are currently at home due to the strike.
He insisted that education is a right of every Nigerian youth, adding that ASUU members need to resolve their disagreement with the Federal Government in order for students to go back to the classrooms.
“We are not here to fight. We are here to meet the Minister of Education,” Asefon said as the students stood at the gate of the NASS complex.
Representatives of the students were later allowed in and a meeting was held with the minister.
The meeting, however, ended with no resolution as the Minister of Education walked out on the students.