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The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has given the Benue State Government five days to resolve its disputes with lecturers’ unions and reopen tertiary institutions that have been shut for more than two months.
NANS, in a notice signed by its Deputy Senate President, Caleb King Ogabidu, said failure to resolve the disputes with the state chapters of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COASU) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) would trigger a nationwide mobilisation.
The association said it would commence mobilisation for a peaceful demonstration in Makurdi on Friday, September 25, if the government failed to meet its demands within the stipulated period.
NANS said the prolonged closure had disrupted the academic activities of thousands of students and expressed concern over the impact on their education.
The students’ body demanded that the state government settle its outstanding issues with COASU and ASUP and conclude arrangements for students to return to their classrooms and resume academic activities.
NANS said it was issuing the ultimatum in line with its responsibility to protect the rights and interests of Nigerian students.
The association warned that students’ academic futures should not be affected by unresolved disputes between the government and the unions.
It said, “That failure to reach an agreement and to return our students to their classrooms within five working days from today, we will be left with no option other than to mobilise our members across the country to drive home our demands.”
The institutions affected by the prolonged closure include Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo; Akpereshi Polytechnic, Yandev, Gboko; Akawe Torkula Polytechnic, Makurdi; Benue State College of Education, Oju; and College of Education, Katsina-Ala.
NANS called on students in the affected institutions to remain calm and steadfast, assuring them that its leadership was working to secure their return to school.
It also directed its structures nationwide to begin preparations for a peaceful demonstration if the state government fails to resolve the dispute before the expiration of the ultimatum.
