Students protest 5 months of power blackout, threaten to boycott exams at KASU

Students of Kaduna State University (KASU), Kafanchan campus, have staged a peaceful protest against five months of power blackout in their school and have threatened to boycott the second semester examinations if electricity is not restored.

The Kafanchan campus has been enveloped in darkness for over five months due to the disconnection of power supply occasioned by the inability of the school to offset backlog of unsettled electricity bills.

Eli Sajo, Vice President 1 of Kaduna State Student’s Union (KADSSU), KASU chapter, who spoke and led the protest on behalf of the joint leadership of various students’ unions, lamented that the prolonged power outage was hampering preparations for their forthcoming examinations.

“For close to one session, students have endured the challenges of being in total darkness.

“We have written several letters but to no avail. We cannot continue learning in an unconducive environment,” he stated.

Sajo said the black out was also posing a threat to their safety, adding that students have had their property and other valuables stolen or vandalized by hoodlums.

The student leader, however, acknowledged the efforts of the school’s management in providing alternative sources of power supply, which he described as unsustainable.

He called on the school authorities to address the issue before the exams starting on Oct. 30 or there would be a boycott by students.

Addressing the students, the Provost of Kafanchan campus, Prof. Ibrahim Sodangi, noted the students’ concerns and assured that management was doing everything within its powers to resolve the issue.

According to him, a compendium of the institution’s needs had been tabled before the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Musa, who, he said, was committed to resolving them.

He lauded the students for their peaceful conduct during the protest and urged them to give more room for dialogue so that their grievances would be adequately tackled for the good of all.

It was reported that the protesting students carried placards with various inscriptions such as: ‘Bring back light to KASU’, ‘No light, no exams’, ‘Light up Kafanchan Campus and restore our light’.