Yesterday, University of Jos (UNIJOS) students staged a protest in the streets, alleging that inadequate medical facilities on campus were a contributing factor in the untimely deaths of two of their peers.
The demonstrators, most of whom were Dental Surgery students, attacked the school entrance with signs that read “Insufficient Medical Facilities in Clinics Despite Hike in School Fees” and other such themes.
‘Justice for our fallen comrades’ and ‘Enough is enough, fix our health facilities now’ are among the other signs that carry similar sentiments.
They insisted that the recent increase in school fees be reversed because the quality of the facilities had not improved in line with the increase.
The recent deaths of two students as tragic results of inadequate medical facilities despite an increase in school fees served as a catalyst for the students’ protests over the poor status of health services on campus.
They bemoaned the absence of vital supplies, medical professionals, and prompt emergency response, all of which they felt could have saved their colleagues’ lives.
The students demanded an in-depth inquiry into the circumstances behind the fatalities, urgent measures to prevent such tragedies from happening again, and accountability for the university’s incompetence.
The demonstration attracted a lot of attention since messages of support for the kids flooded the state’s social media channels.
Many voiced their outrage over the needless deaths and demanded structural changes in universities.
Abdullahi Abdullahi, the deputy registrar in charge of the university’s information unit, could not be reached for comment.
