FUPRE Students Block Roads Over Alleged Tuition Increase

Students of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), in Delta State, took to the streets on Wednesday to protest an alleged increase in tuition fees by the school’s management.

The demonstration caused heavy traffic along the East-West Road and all entry routes to the university campus in Uvwie Local Government Area.

Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, the students expressed anger over what they described as an unfair hike in tuition. They demanded that the management reverse the decision, insisting the new charges were unaffordable.

The protest, however, quickly became controversial after the university’s Student Union Government (SUG) distanced itself from the action. The SUG president, Etinosa, said the union was not involved and that efforts were already being made to address the issue through dialogue with the school authorities.

University management also condemned the protest, describing those involved as individuals acting outside the recognized student leadership. The Vice Chancellor, Professor Ezekiel Agbalagba, confirmed that discussions over fee adjustments were still ongoing and had not been concluded.

According to him, the school had held several meetings with the SUG to review student charges but decided to suspend talks until the completion of examinations. He noted that no final decision on the new fee structure had been made and blamed the protest on misinformation.

Agbalagba, who was in Abuja during the incident, said the university was not responsible for any document circulating online about the supposed new tuition fees. He claimed that certain individuals may have leaked incomplete information to stir unrest and create confusion within the campus community.

The Vice Chancellor maintained that the management would resume talks with the student union after exams to reach a fair resolution. He added that the university remains open to dialogue but will not tolerate disruptions to academic activities or acts aimed at destabilizing the institution.

Normal traffic flow was later restored on the East-West Road after security officials intervened, while academic activities on campus were partially affected as students dispersed gradually following the protest.