Student Unions Threaten Nationwide Protest February 4 Over “Deplorable” Federal Roads
A coalition of student unions from Nigeria’s tertiary institutions has issued a stern ultimatum to the Federal Government, threatening to embark on a nationwide protest on February 4 over the deteriorating state of federal roads across the country.
The joint leadership, comprising the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), the National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students (NANCES), and the National Association of University Students (NAUS), declared that the roads have become corridors of preventable and avoidable death.
In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday, the student leaders lamented that the poor condition of major highways is claiming the lives of students, workers, and families on a daily basis.
They clarified that the planned demonstration is not an attack on the Nigerian state but a rejection of institutional neglect, failed supervision, and the dangerous normalization of avoidable deaths.
The statement was jointly signed by NAUS National President Josiah Peter Oche, NAPS National President Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, and NANCES National President Kur Isaac Ushahemba.
The unions explicitly called on President Bola Tinubu to relieve the Minister of Works, David Umahi, of his duties, citing his failure to address the infrastructure crisis.
They argued that no reform agenda can succeed where citizens die daily on roads meant to connect opportunity rather than coffins, demanding decisive presidential action to restore public confidence and realign the Ministry of Works with national priorities.
The group warned that the current state of infrastructure undermines the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and falls short of the vision for a safe and functional Nigeria.
Highlighting specific danger zones, the coalition pointed to several federal highways located near tertiary institutions that pose immediate threats to students.
These include the Abuja-Lokoja-Okene Road near Federal University Lokoja, the Benin-Okpella-Auchi-Okene Road near AAU Ekpoma and Auchi Polytechnic, and the Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomosho Road near LAUTECH.
Other critical axes mentioned were the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway near UNIZIK, the Onitsha-Owerri Road near FUTO, and the East-West Road near the University of Port Harcourt.
The students listed issues such as failed road surfaces, unchecked heavy-duty truck movements, lack of pedestrian bridges, and poor lighting as the primary causes of the repeated loss of young lives.
