June 12: We Suspended Protest For National Interest – NANS

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) said its planned June 12 protest was suspended for national interest.

The body added that it was also to ensure that there will be no breakdown of law.

The National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Victor Ezenagu, said this at a news conference in Enugu on Saturday to commemorate the 2021 Democracy Day.

Ezenagu said that the suspension was due to clear security intelligence that some unpatriotic elements wanted to hijack the planned protest to unleash mayhem and disorder in the country.

According to him, NANS leadership did not collect money from any source or was intimidated by anybody to suspend the planned protest but it was done basically on a patriotic move.

He said that after suspending the planned protest, the students’ apex body would resort to the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) method to further press on its demands from the Federal and state governments.

He said that NANS demands included, “That the government at all levels rise up to the occasion and secure the lives and property of Nigerians which is their first and most important constitutional duty.

“That the security architecture around our campuses be re-jigged to ensure maximum security for Nigerian Students studying anywhere in Nigeria.

“That the Federal Government as a matter of urgency should convoke a national dialogue to discuss the way forward for the nation.

“That the FG should rescind the suspension of “Twitter” because it remains one of the most viable platforms where our students connect with their counterparts across the globe,” he said.

He, however, decried the increasing rate of abduction in the country especially in higher institutions, where hundreds of students get abducted in a single operation.