The ever busy Ife-Ibadan Expressway was blocked again on Friday, as students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun state, led other students on protest the ongoing debacle between Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The protest resumed as early as 7a.m., with student blocking the highway around Oduduwa University, thereby creating gridlock inward and outward of Ile-Ife.The gridlock as at 12noon had extended to Gbingan on the highway with motorists travelling towards, Ife-Ilesa-Akure held in the gridlock.The gridlock as at 12noon had extended to Gbingan on the highway with motorists travelling towards, Ife-Ilesa-Akure held in the gridlock.
In fact, they started yesterday, with their University of Nigeria, Nsukka, counterparts doing same.
The students created barricade on the highway, using used tyres and human shield while some of their leaders addressed motorists and passers-by.
Chairman, Nigeria Association of University Students (NAUS), Eruobami Ayobami, while speaking with Vanguard, said the protest would be a daily routine until the government finds a common ground with the academic union towards funding university education appropriately.
Also, a source confirmed to Vanguard that hundreds of travellers passing through Ife to other parts of the South-West, South-South and northern parts of the country were forced to divert to other routes.
The students also located some of the adjoining routes such as Ipetomodu and blocked them.
Some of the travellers, especially commercial buses were forced to pass through a town called Moro in Ife Morth Local Government Area to join Ilesa-Akure Road.
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