A faction of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has dismissed claims that the group is planning a massive shutdown of major cities across Nigeria to protest the recent hike in fuel pump prices.
Earlier on Wednesday, a notice attributed to Okunomo Henry Adewumi, the Senate President of NANS, announced that a protest would take place on September 15, 2024 if the fuel price hike was not reversed.
However, this was countered by a statement from another NANS Senate President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, who clarified that the student body had neither announced nor endorsed any such protest. He described the reports as baseless and not reflective of the true stance of NANS.
The statement urged security agencies to investigate those responsible for spreading false information, stressing that using NANS’ name for inciting unrest is not only a threat to national security but also harms the interests of Nigerian students.
It also emphasized NANS’ commitment to peaceful advocacy and constructive engagement with stakeholders, rejecting any actions that could lead to civil unrest.
The statement concluded by calling on the public and media to disregard the rumors, reiterating that the reports were the work of individuals attempting to exploit NANS’ name for malicious purposes.
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