Nigerian Students Threatens Nationwide Protest Over ASUU Strike, Gives 14-days Ultimatum

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The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened a nationwide protest to call for an end to the ongoing strike between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government.

This resolution was reached in a communiqué issued on Wednesday in Enugu after NANS Students’ Leaders Emergency Virtual Meeting held on November 9. The students’ leaders issued a 14-day ultimatum for both parties to resolve their impasse for campuses to re-open or risk #EndASUUStrike mass protest nationwide.

The union, who maintained that the continued strike was an organized crime against students’ career and educational pursuits, stated that the root cause of ASUU’s incessant strike is as a result of the low budgetary allocation to the educator sector by the government.

The communiqué reads in part: “NANS declares the necessity of minimum of two academic session school fees waiver for Nigerian students in both state and federal institutions in the spirit of COVID-19 palliative to ameliorate the economic effects of the lockdown occasioned by the global pandemic. This is to avert mass drop out of students which may increase crime and criminality among youths in Nigeria.”

According to the body, Nigerian students are the greatest losers of the strike as their career are delayed, stay on campus extended, house rent/hostel fee incurred, NYSC age limit exceeded, Federal/state job age requirement exceeded among other negative effects and impacts on general life plan of an average Nigerian student.