The fees is for the destruction of properties during their protest last month. The school management has linked payment of the fee to the school's reopening.
The student embarked on a protest on Saturday, April 11 which allegedly led to the death of Ojo Afolabi Daniel, a 200-Level Economics Education student, after being knocked down by a commercial motorcyclist. The university was eventually shut downfollowing the protest with the management alleging that properties worth millions of naira were reportedly destroyed during the protest.
In a text message to students last Thursday, May 5, the management said the decision was reached after a Senate meeting, where the report of the committee that investigated the protest was discussed.
The text message by the Registrar reads: "All students are to proceed to any of the branches of the following banks to make payment for reparation fees of N25,000 only. Students are to log on to the school portal and click on 'reparation fee' with their registration/matriculation number and the confirmation order number obtained from the bank…"
According to TheNation, the students, in response, urged the school management to reduce the fee, which they described as "too high".
Wale Fayemiro, a 400-Level student, begged management to reduce the fee, because of what he called the "unfavourable" economic situation.
He said: "The reparation fee came to most of us as a surprise. It should not have been high. We plead with the management to review the fee in line with the current economy reality in the country."
Some students took their grievances to social media with one saying, "this is very unfair. Government has not paid our parents' salaries for about five months; the economy of the state is nothing to write home about, yet the management is not considering this before asking us to pay N25,000."
In response, the authorities agreed to slash the fees to N15, 000. The university, while announcing the new reparation fee said the development was as a result of intervention by well-meaning Nigerians and the leadership of the Students' Union Government (SUG) of the University.
"After due consideration of passionate pleas by well-meaning Nigerians and the leadership of the students' union of the university, who demonstrated a high level of maturity and responsibility, management has decided to reduce the N25, 000 reparation fee earlier charged in respect of the April 9 students' violent protest to N15, 000."
The statement also added that the suspended examinations will commence on Monday, May 23, 2016 and would end on Saturday, June 4, 2016 while the second semester shall commence on Monday, June 12, 2016.
In his reaction, the SUG President of the institution, Adegbola Odunyemi described the position of the university to reduce the charge as a welcome development.
"It is a welcome idea that the institution has reviewed downward the charge, though we are not contented." Adegbola added.
