By Remi Ayodele
A coalition of Nigerian student leaders has announced plans for a nationwide protest over what they describe as the deplorable condition of federal highways across the country.
The students, operating under the Joint Council of Student Leaders, say poor road infrastructure has led to recurring deaths of students and other Nigerians.
In a joint statement issued in Abuja, the Chairman of the Council and President of the National Association of University Students, Comrade Josiah Peter Oche, alongside leaders of NAPS and NANCES, described many federal highways as death traps.
They announced that the protest is scheduled for February 4, 2026, and warned that major highways leading to airports, cities, and the Federal Capital Territory may be blocked during the demonstration.
The students called for urgent presidential intervention and demanded the removal of the Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi, over alleged incompetence and insensitivity.
They listed several dangerous highways, particularly those passing through or near tertiary institutions, including the Abuja–Lokoja–Okene Road, Benin–Auchi–Okene Road, Ibadan–Ogbomosho Road, Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, and the East–West Road in Rivers State.
According to the student leaders, the roads are plagued by potholes, failed surfaces, poor lighting, unchecked truck movement, and rising cases of crashes and abductions.
They also accused the Minister of Works of verbally attacking student leaders after they raised concerns over road safety, describing his conduct as disrespectful and unbecoming of a public office holder.
The coalition cited recent fatal crashes and tanker explosions on federal highways as justification for their planned protest, stressing that their action is against institutional neglect, not the Nigerian state.
They appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action to save lives and restore public confidence in the management of federal roads.
