The leadership of National Association of University Students, NAUS is asking over 4.2 million students across universities in the country and abroad to shun the planned protest by a faction of the union on October 1, 2024 being the nation’s 64th Independence Day anniversary.
The call was made by NAUS President Josiah Oche at a news conference in Abuja where he stressed that the association is opposed to the proposed protest, warning that such protest could be hijacked by hoodlums to cause more pain to innocent citizens.
While lamenting the economic hardships being faced in the country as a result of fuel subsidy removal and other economic reforms being carried out by the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which can spark any agitation, Oche called for calm among students
He pointed out that students are the worst affected by the economic crisis and called on the Federal Government to distribute 3,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to all institutions to help cushion the effects of subsidy removal on university students.
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Oche equally urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to take proactive steps to ensure all filling stations sell premium motor spirit (PMS) at a uniform price and to make sure the nation’s refineries are operational.
The university students’ body encouraged students’ union government, SUG of various universities to engage their management in meaningful dialogue to avoid a breakdown of law and order due to the increasing hardship among students.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)