Nigeria, March 16, 2016 – Scores of students today stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, protesting alleged maltreatment during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
But they met their match in gallant policemen who unleashed teargas on them for unruly behaviour.
The students who had waited for several hours in the scorching sun before they were attended to, became furious and began to hurl stones at the gates of the House.
Some of the students, who were angered by the failure of the lawmakers in the assembly to attend to them on time were arrested by members of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), who had been mobilized to prevent them from entering the assembly premises.
We gathered that while the protest lingered, the lawmakers were at plenary that probably might have been responsible for the delay in attending to the students.
In an attempt to douse the looming danger, the policemen had to apply the canister to prevent the candidates from forcing their way into the Assembly premises.
The protesting students who had sat for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination had called for the removal of Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, Director of Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) over the alleged mismanagement of UTME examination.
One of the affected candidates, Okelola Samson said that he read rigorously for the examination, but that JAMB gave him 170 marks which was against his expectation.
“For the past two weeks, JAMB has been sending results that was not in tandem with our expectations. We expected good result but we were disappointed at the management with the series of marks they were sending to our phones.
“I am sure 170 was not my score and I am using this opportunity to call on the House of Assembly and the Federal Government to investigate this hiccup (sic) with JAMB,” he pleaded.
According to them, JAMB changed exam venues without proper notification and over 10,000 candidates missed the UTME exam.
“After the candidates finished the examinations, JAMB added 40 marks to their scores and later removed it from the candidates’ scores. Some of the candidates are still writing the exam, so the Commission should be called to order.”
The Majority Leader, Agunbiade Sanai who later came on behalf of the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa to address the students, appealed to them to remain calm. He also noted that it is not in their character to delay in attending to such issue that borders on national outlook from the state.
“We are your mouth piece so you have done well to have come to the house,” Agunbiade said.
