The Federal Government of Nigeria has faulted protesting students for taking laws into their hands.
This is a ‘swift’ reaction by the government after some group of students under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian students, NANS, blocked the very busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola while speaking to State House Correspondents at the end of a Federal Executive Council meeting said the Constitution of Nigeria recognizes and protect citizens’ right to public protests but does not empower any Nigerian to inflict pain and inconvenience on innocent citizens.
Fashola appealed for patience from Nigerians hinting that there is no alternative route in the already built-up areas.
“Once again, I apologise and empathise with commuters who need that place to get on with their lives. It’s the place we left to the last really because it’s the most built-up area, the last six kilometers into Lagos; very densely populated and occupied. There’s very little room for alternative routes for people. So, you just have to bear with us.I also heard that some aggrieved students under the aegis of NANS are going to the road to protest. My respectful view is that is not helpful at all to the citizens.
On Tuesday September 13, the students disrupted smooth flow of traffic on the road as protesters decried the lingering ASUU strike.
