You Don’t Have Any Right To Block Lagos-Ibadan Expressway – Fashola Slams NANS

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, September 14th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has slammed the action of some students who blocked the busy section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway during a protest march.

Fashola stated this on Wednesday while responding to questions from State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the former Lagos State governor, the protesting students were guilty of “violating” the law, said even though the Nigerian constitution guarantees the citizens’ right to public protection, it doesn’t empower any Nigerian to “inflict pain and inconvenience on other people”.

It could be recalled that on Tuesday, members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANs) created a roadblock to stop traffic flow on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, as they protested the strike embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

However, responding to questions on the recurrent gridlock on the uncompleted sections of the highway, the Minister tasked Nigerians to be patient as there is no alternative route in the already built-up areas.

Fashola said: “Once again, I apologise and empathise with commuters who need that place to get on with their lives. It’s the place we left to be the last, really because it’s the most built-up area, the last six kilometers into Lagos; very densely populated and occupied. There’s very little room for alternative routes for people. So, you just have to bear with us.

“I also heard that some aggrieved students under the aegis of NANS are going to the road to protest. My respectful view is that it is not helpful at all to the citizens.

“The right to protest is a very well-protected right in our Constitution, but it does not include the right to inflict pain and inconvenience on other people. And so, whilst the protests can go on, they should refrain from blocking the road in order to do their protests. That in itself is a violation of law.”