Some undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan (UI) on Wednesday staged a protest over the unavailability of water and electricity on campus.
Students were seen carrying buckets and chanting solidarity songs as they moved round campus.
The protesters also stormed lecture halls, demanding a halt to academic activities until water and power supply are restored.
“No water, no class,” they chanted.
The disruption led to a suspension of lectures and other academic activities across parts of the university.
Students requested not to be photographed or filmed for fear of intimidation by school authorities and possible disciplinary action by the institution’s Student Disciplinary Committee (SDC).
One of the students who spoke with journalists on the condition of anonymity, said electricity had been unavailable for over 48 hours, making it impossible to pump water or charge devices.
“We’ve not had water and light since Sunday, yet they expect us to attend tests and classes,” the student said.
“The dean of students said there would be electricity last night, but there was none. What we are doing now is to shut down classes and ensure tests and other academic activities do not hold.”
The student added that the dean of student affairs later addressed the protesters and promised that a generator would be activated for maintenance.
While also understanding that the disruption in utility services is linked to the ongoing strike by members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), which began on May 4.
The unions are protesting the federal government’s failure to conclude the renegotiation and implementation of the 2009 agreement with non-teaching staff.
Following the strike directive, non-academic staff withdrew their services, leading to the shutdown of essential facilities, including the University Health Service, popularly known as Jaja.
