On Monday, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) students demonstrated at the Lagos International Airport to voice their opposition to the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities strike (ASUU).
The students obstructed access to the local and international terminals by blocking busy highways.
They blocked down the Ajao Estate/Oshodo route into the airport, obstructing traffic and passengers.
The students sung songs of unity while blocking the street with their vehicles and rousing support for the almost six-month ASUU strike.
Passengers worried about missing their flights disembarked from vehicles carrying them while the protesting students blocked the roadways, carrying their bags on their heads as they made their way to the airport’s domestic and international terminals.
Despite the heavy security presence, a detachment of staff members, including police officers, tried in vain to convince the protesting students to clear the highways.
From the Ajao Estate/Oshodo/Mafoluku stretch into the NAHCO/Hajj Camp axis, there was a ton of mayhem.
A contingent of the protesting students was stationed outside the entrance of the local wing heading to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT).
Omoyele Sowore, a former leader of NANS, participated in the protest in the students’ favor.
Sowore accused the administration of handling the protracted ASUU strike insensitively.
Some travelers admitted they were considering returning home since they might miss their planes.
Many of those who dared to go on got off the vans that were taking them from the NAHCO/Hajj Camp axis to the international terminal while lugging their stuff.
Officials from the airline declined to give their names but acknowledged that the demonstration had a detrimental effect on flight operations because many intended passengers were unable to make it to the airport on time.
Officials stated that due to the high cost of aviation fuel and other operating cost factors, flights have to be adjusted in order to avoid flying empty aircraft, which is unprofitable.
