The students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) yesterday gave the institution's authorities a seven-day ultimatum to replace all mattresses in the halls of residence, to avert crisis.
UNILAG’s Students Union President, Abiodun Martins, made this known in an interview with the NAN in Lagos.
Famzn.com reported yesterday that the students had, earlier in the day, protested against what they described as massive invasion of mosquitoes and bedbugs in their respective halls of residence.
The students had shut the gate of the institution while the protest lasted, thereby making it impossible for workers living outside the institution to have access and resume work.
As stated by Martins, the students have to protest because the bugs and mosquitoes are making life unbearable for them, as many of them could hardly sleep after the day’s activities.
“We want this management to be proactive in responding to the demands of the students.
“The authorities must not always wait for a crisis or protest to erupt before they react.
He stated that the issue had been raised with the authorities before now and that nothing was done.
“There is a limit to which students can bear and I feel what they were protesting against is not out of place, because they paid for it.”
As stated by him, the whole place was recently fumigated, but it seemed that the bugs have developed resistance to the chemical.
“So, what we are asking for now is for the authorities to look for a lasting solution to this challenge.
“We hereby give them a seven-day ultimatum, beginning from today, to replace all the old mattresses.
“We want them to burn all the old mattresses, fumigate the hostels, do away with all the fittings, and then bring in new mattresses,” he stated.
The students’ leader stated that no matter the challenges facing the institution’s authorities, it should ensure that the interests of the students were always given top priority.
One of the students, Maxwell Abayomi, stated that the students marched out of their respective hostels for the protest as early as 3:00 a.m., to express their disgust over the development.
As stated by him, the presence of the bugs have left a sour taste in the mouths of the students, adding that the development constitutes a serious health hazard.
Abayomi stated that the institution last fumigated the halls in 2012, when the institution hosted the National Sports Festival.