NANS suspends Lagos-Ibadan expressway protest after dialogue with Ogun CP

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called off its peaceful protest on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway after constructive engagement with the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre S. Ogunlowo, PhD, over concerns surrounding the alleged mismanagement of the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.

Early Monday morning, May 5, 2025, scores of students under the umbrella of NANS converged on the busy expressway to air their grievances about what they described as lack of access to student loans, poor accountability in the administration of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), and the increasing cost of tuition fees in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

The protest, which involved the blockade of a section of the highway, caused a brief disruption to vehicular traffic but remained peaceful throughout.

The students also demanded urgent improvements in learning infrastructure and general welfare conditions across the country’s higher institutions.

In a swift response to the demonstration, CP Ogunlowo arrived at the scene and engaged directly with the protest leaders.

The Commissioner appealed to the students to embrace dialogue and highlighted the importance of maintaining public order.

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He assured them that their grievances would be communicated to relevant authorities and that their concerns would receive due attention.

Moved by the Commissioner’s intervention and the promise of structured advocacy, the students agreed to vacate the expressway. They were subsequently invited to the Ogun State Police Command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, where further deliberations were held on constructive approaches to student advocacy.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the development in an official statement, noting that no violence or injury was recorded during the protest. She emphasized the Police Command’s commitment to ensuring public safety while supporting lawful expressions of civil concerns.

The meeting at Eleweran, according to sources, marks the beginning of a new collaborative effort between law enforcement and student representatives aimed at addressing educational challenges through policy engagement rather than confrontation.