From John Adams, Minna
Hundred of Students of the Niger state owned Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai on Wednesday shutdown legislative activities at the state house of assembly for several hours over hike in tuition fees by the university authority.
The Students were also joined in the protest in solidarity by some members of the house of assembly who described the sudden hike in the school fees as insensitive and unacceptable.
The students who stormed the the assembly complex, blocking the main entrance gate as early as 9:30am, disallowed the members and other staff of the assembly from gaining access into the complex, and vowed not to vacate the premises, until their demand of immediate reduction in the school fees is met.
In the forefront for the protest was Member representing Agwara constituency, Hon. Ahmed Bello Agwara (PDP) who is also the minority leader in the house.
The Minority leader, adored in the Student T-Shirt and a face cap to match, all bearing IBBU inscription, led the protesting Students into the assembly complex where he (Agwara) presented the demand of the students to the  Deputy Speaker of the house, Hon  Jibrin Ndagi who received the protesting students.
The Minority leader said he decided to join the Students in solidarity beause as as a post Graduate Student of the Institution, he also affected by the school fees hike, adding that like a true comrade, he decided to join the peaceful protest.
He  therefore urge the Assembly to intervene by  summoning the School Management, the Student union government  and the State government to a round table for an amicable resolution of the impasse.
Hon Ahmed Bello explained that, as the representative of the people, the Assembly is in a better position to take a decisive action on the lingering school fee hike crisis threatening the peaceful academic environment of IBBU.
speaking earlier, representatives  of the National Association of Nigeria Students, Comrade  Ishaq  Madaki and  Abdulsalam Abdulganiu  urge the Assembly to prevail on the State government to order the University management to further reduce the fees if they can not return them back to the old rate.
The Student union leaders, also threatened to forcefully shut down the University in 24hrs if the Institution management fails to shut down the University registration portal untill all issues are resolved.
Responding to the student demands, Deputy Speaker of the house Hon. Jibrin  Ndagi assured the protesting students of the Assembly’s resolve to look into their demands with a view of addressing them.
He urge them to conduct themselves peacefully and ask them to nominate  representatives that will interface with the Assembly inorder to chart a way forward.
It could be recalled that the state government had earlier waded into the crisis when it announced a reduction in the fees.
Acirding to the government in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mallam Ahmed Metane, returning indigene students had their fee reduced N7,929 to N50,000, while new Students indigene had their reduced to N95,675 from the initial N129, 675 as announced by the University management.
Similarly, non indegine returning students where asked to pay N100,000 as against the N117, 325 earlier announced while, new non indegine students where asked to pay N170,000 as against the N201,217.
However, in a press statement dated 20th of August 2021 and signed by the IBBU Student union Government president, Mohammed Jibrin Lwafu had insisted on total and absolute reversal of the school fees.