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The Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Branch, has strongly criticized the recent introduction of a ₦10,000 hostel extension fee by the university authorities.

The fee is to be paid by students who wish to remain in the halls of residence during the break, following the institution’s directive that all students vacate hostels on or before Sunday, September 7, 2025.

In a statement, the ERC OAU Branch described the policy as “inconsiderate,” especially to final-year students still working on their projects, those on compulsory teaching practice, students in health sciences, and others engaged in academic or professional programmes.

“Many students initially thought the evacuation order was to allow for long-awaited hostel renovations, considering the deteriorating state of facilities,” the group said. “However, the introduction of the extension fee has proven that the decision is not about improving student welfare but rather about creating avenues for dubious exploitation

The campaigners stressed that students had already paid over ₦50,000 for hostel accommodation in the previous session and argued that imposing an additional ₦10,000 was “unjustifiable and insensitive” at a time when students and their families are struggling with the country’s economic realities.

“There is no reason students should be made to pay for choosing to reside on campus,” the statement read. “Clearly, the university is prioritizing revenue over the welfare and safety of students.”

ERC also warned about rising security concerns in off-campus residences, stressing that the university should instead be encouraging students with valid academic engagements to remain on campus without extra financial burdens.

“Prioritizing student safety and welfare should come before revenue generation,” the group insisted. “Anything short of this undermines the university’s responsibility to its community.”

The organization further charged the leadership of the Students’ Union to “rise to the occasion” by defending students against what it described as “broad-day exploitation.”

It urged the union to engage university authorities not only on the extension fee but also on broader issues of student welfare and the growing insecurity within Ile-Ife and it’s environs

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