The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) have announced they will not participate in the upcoming nationwide protest against hunger and poor governance.
The protest, tagged #EndBadGovernance, is scheduled to occur across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory from August 1 to 10.
In a rally held on Wednesday in Abeokuta, the students expressed concerns that the planned protest could be hijacked by hoodlums, leading to chaos and disruption of peace. Addressing journalists, Thomas Kehinde, the National President of NAOSS, urged students to avoid participating in the protests.
“We, the leaders of the collective students’ structures in Ogun State, have staged this rally to emphasize that the student community in Ogun State will not be part of the planned nationwide protests,” said Kehinde.
He acknowledged the economic hardships driving the protest but stressed that the students’ associations in Ogun State do not support participating in these protests. He called on students to remain calm and trust in their leaders to address their welfare in non-violent ways.
Kehinde cautioned that while the organizers of the protests intend for them to be peaceful, there is a significant risk of the protests being hijacked by hoodlums, leading to looting, robbery, and vandalism of public and private infrastructure. He also warned that clandestine factors could escalate the situation from peaceful protests to violence.
Referencing the EndSARS protests, he reminded students of the lingering bitter memories of wanton destruction and alleged killings. To avoid a repeat of such events, Kehinde emphasized that students in Ogun should stay away from the nationwide protests.
“Leadership of student associations in Ogun State, as organized associations dedicated to serving the interests of students, will never drive their members to participate in activities that have a high propensity of leading to violence and destruction,” he added.
Kehinde concluded by urging students in the state to remain calm and continue to believe in their leaders’ ability to champion their welfare and well-being without resorting to violence.
