Despite assurance by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to intervene over the lingering strike by the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Students under the platform of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have stormed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to press down their demands for the government to resolve the ASUU strike which has dragged on for almost seven months.
Blocking the road with their vehicles, the students sang solidarity songs to agitate the over six-month ASUU strike.
As the protesting students blocked the roads, anxious passengers, nursing fear of missing their flights, alighted from vehicles conveying them with their luggage on their heads, trekking to the local and international terminals of the airport.
Amid heavy security presence a detachment of personnel, including officers of Police tried to engage the protesting students to clear out of the roads to no avail.
From the Ajao Estate/Oshodo/Mafoluku stretch into the NAHCO/Hajj Camp axis it was confusion galore.
A team of the protesting students were stationed at the entrance into the local wing leading to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT).
In solidarity with the students, former NANS President, Omoyele Sowore joined in the protest.
Sowore accused the government of insensitivity over handling of the prolonged strike by ASUU.
Some passengers said they were considering returning home because they may not meet up with their flight schedules.
Many who dared to proceed alighted from the vehicles conveying them rolling their luggage from the NAHCO/Hajj Camp axis to the international terminal.
Airline officials declined to reveal their identities but admitted the protest had negative impact on flight operations as many intending passengers could not arrive the airport at the scheduled time.
The officials said they had to adjust flights to avoid flying empty aircraft, which is unprofitable, giving the high cost of aviation fuel and other operating cost considerations.
Recall that following a seven-month standoff between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, made known its intentions to halt operations at all international airports in the country.
