A group of students identified as the Coalition of Concerned Northern Youth and Students has announced their withdrawal from a planned nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship in Nigeria.
The decision was conveyed during a press briefing in Kano Yesterday by the group leadership, Comrade Jibrin Sani Bello, Senate President of the National Association of Kano State Students (NAKS).
Bello explained that the group have decided to withdrawal following the fact that the identities of the protest organisers have not been made public which makes the protest more risky.
He said, “Preparations for the protest were at an advanced stage, but upon reflection and consultations, Nigerian students should refrain from participating in the national protest due to our lack of knowledge about its organisers”.
According to him, protests often disrupt academic activities, which could adversely affect their educational journeys. While acknowledging the economic challenges in the country, they cautioned against exacerbating the situation through poorly organised protests.
Bello explained, “We recognise the economic hardship facing Nigerians, but we believe that participating in an unknown protest could lead to unintended consequences”. The students expressed suspicions of potential financial inducements influencing the protest organisers’ motives, prompting their decision to withdraw.
Instead, the students advocated for the expansion of the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to provide scholarships for eligible students pursuing education locally or internationally.
One of the student leader who identifies as Abdulrahman Mansir, a student at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University in Katsina, highlighted previous instances where protests extended academic sessions, disrupting student schedules and potentially exacerbating educational challenges.
“We must organise ourselves effectively as students. Protests can disrupt our academic progress and may not effectively address Nigeria’s broader challenges. We rely on divine intervention to resolve our national issues,” Mansir concluded.