A faction of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has refuted claims that the group is planning a massive shutdown of major cities across Nigeria to protest the recent hike in fuel prices.
Earlier on Wednesday, Okunomo Henry Adewumi, the President of the NANS Senate, issued a notice stating that the organisation would stage a nationwide protest on September 15, 2024, if the fuel price increase was not reversed.
However, this announcement was swiftly dismissed in a statement released later the same day by another NANS Senate President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez. In the statement, Afeez clarified that NANS had not endorsed or announced any such protest, labelling the reports as unfounded and not reflective of the student body’s official stance.
The statement called on security agencies to apprehend those responsible for using the NANS name to incite unrest or disrupt the peace, emphasising the importance of upholding the integrity of democratic processes and the rule of law. It also urged a thorough investigation into the origin of the misinformation, stressing that those spreading falsehoods should be identified and held accountable.
“The leadership of NANS has been made aware of rumours and misinformation circulating across various platforms, suggesting that NANS is planning a massive shutdown of major cities across the country,” the statement read. “We wish to categorically state that NANS has not announced or endorsed any such protest. These reports are entirely baseless and do not reflect the position or intentions of our organisation.”
NANS, according to the statement, remains committed to peaceful advocacy and constructive engagement with relevant stakeholders, distancing itself from any actions that could lead to civil unrest or disrupt public order.
The statement concluded by urging the public, media, and all stakeholders to disregard the false reports and warning against the exploitation of the NANS name by “faceless entities” with malicious intent.
