Tuition hike: Northern students threaten shutdown of varsities

• Published date: 12 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Students in the 19 northern states have threatened to embark on protest following the recent hike in tuition fees in some universities.

The National Coordinator of the group, Emuseh Gimba, said the they might take drastic actions should the government fail to reverse the hike.

Gimba said: 'We find it regrettable that as a result of these poorly designed policies, hunger is stalking millions of homes, inflation is making life difficult by the day, people are losing jobs, businesses are closing down infrastructure is decaying, young Nigerians are losing hope of being employed, hospitals are full of people who suffer various illnesses, and cannot afford the fees.'

The SW-CNG expressed worry that what it called, 'some insensitive and indifferent authorities of northern Nigerian universities' have already announced incredible increments in their tuition.

Those in this category, according to the group, are, the University of Maiduguri in the northeast, Federal University, Dutse in the Northwest and the Federal University, Lafia in the Northcentral.

'As is the tradition of the CNG, we took time to understudy the situation and assess the inherent dangers the hike in tuition would pose to Nigerians and especially the northern region which has been abandoned to the mercy of rampaging banditry and insurgency.

'Specifically, the northern region is being held ransom by bandits...