The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students has threatened a showdown with the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) should the ongoing strike not be suspended on or before 5th January, 2021.
NANS President, Sunday Asefon, warned that if by expiration of the ultimatum, there is no resolution, the students would take strategic actions.
“The Federal Government and ASUU will face the students and tell us why we have to suffer this much,” he said.
Asefon in a statement, made available to newsmen on Sunday, in Abuja, however, expressed delight over the safe release of the 344 abducted schoolboys in Kankara, Katsina State, saying he had earlier relocated to the state and vowed that he would not “leave Katsina until the students are rescued.”
He described the ongoing ASUU strike as the longest strike in the history of the university in Nigeria, stressing that the end to the strike is long overdue and it is ridiculous that government and ASUU have not found a common ground yet.
He warned that the development has left the students with no better alternative than to do everything within them to bring an end to the strike.
He insisted that the next negotiations between ASUU and FG should involve students’ representatives as the third party for posterity sake and transparency in leadership.
In his words, “The welfare and safety of Nigerian students across all the 36 states and diaspora is one of my priorities and as long as I remain the revolutionary President of NANS. I will continue to advocate for the welfare and the safety of Nigeria students.
“During the meeting with the Executive Governor of Katsina on Sunday, I reiterated the needs to safeguard the schools so as to avoid reoccurrence of this ugly incidence.
“I also encouraged proactiveness of the Federal Government in every matter that has to do with schools and students.
“Nigerian students appreciated the proactive measures of Katsina State Government, all the security agencies and other stakeholders involved in rescuing our younger ones,” he said.
The NANS president also condemned the hike in tuition fees by Lagos State University for the new intake, saying the association rejects the about 168 per cent hike for new entrance fees. He promised to ensure this is reversed.
He also assured the reinstatement of the students suspended or expelled unjustifiably across the 36 states of Nigeria through diplomatic engagement with authorities and struggle.
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