Students from the University of Jos (UNIJOS) came to the streets yesterday to protest the substandard health facilities on campus, which they said contributed to the untimely deaths of two classmates.
The protesters, who were mostly Dental Surgery students, attacked the school gate, waving placards with varied inscriptions and chanting slogans like ‘Insufficient Medical Facilities in Clinics Despite Increased School Fees.
Other placards include phrases such as ‘Justice for our fallen comrades’ and ‘Enough is Enough, Fix Our Health Facilities Now.’
They urged that the recent increase in school tuition be reversed, claiming that it was not accompanied by an improvement in facility quality.
The students emphasised the terrible state of health services on campus, citing the unfortunate deaths of two students as the result of inadequate medical facilities despite a school fee increase. They decried the lack of critical equipment, medical professionals, and fast emergency reaction, which they feel may have avoided their colleagues’ deaths.
The students blasted the university’s incompetence and demanded accountability, requesting a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances behind the deaths and urging immediate reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The protests received significant attention, with state social media channels flooded with expressions of solidarity for the students. Many people voiced outrage at the preventable loss of life and called for systemic changes in higher education institutions.
Deputy Registrar in charge of information unit of the university, Abdullahi Abdullahi could not be reached for a reaction.