Nigerian students barred from joining nationwide protest, reason emerges

• Students in Nigerian universities have been told not to participate in the planned hunger protest scheduled to take place in the 36 states of the federation on August 1
• The Minister of Education Tahir Mamman made this call as he also sounded a note of caution to the youths, urging them to pull out from the planned demonstration
• Meanwhile, the protest is scheduled to take place in the 36 states of the federation on August 1, but President Tinubu and security forces have kicked against the demonstration

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Tahir Mamman, the Minister of Education, has mandated students in Nigerian universities to remain on campus during the planned nationwide protests, to avoid risking their lives.

Prof. Tahir Mamman sent a message to students ahead of the protest. Images of students are provided for illustration purposes. Photo credit: Tahir Mamman, PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/ Getty Images
Source: Facebook

"Remain on campus", Minister tells students

The minister, through the acting executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, made this known in a letter addressed to university Vice-Chancellors and released to the press on Monday, July 29.

The minister directed vice-chancellors of universities to take proactive steps to ensure the security and safety of the university community, including staff and students, Channels TV reported.

Speaking further, the minister said the federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not unaware of the right of any Nigerians to peaceful protest but is concerned about the safety of staff, students, and university property should there be any protest action.

“Consequently, the Honourable Minister has directed that Vice-Chancellors of all Nigerian Universities should take proactive steps to ensure the security and safety of the university community, including staff and students. In addition, Vice-Chancellors are to please issue specific statements to assure staff and students of their safety. It is also advisable that students remain on campus to focus on their academic pursuits to avoid exposure to any potential danger during the planned protests."

The minister's directive comes on the heels of organised nationwide protest slated for August 1 to 10, 2024.

As reported by The Punch, the planned protest has gathered momentum in the polity and is currently trending on social media under the hashtags ‘#EndBadGovernance,’ ‘#TinubuMustGo,’ and ‘#Revolution2024.’

However, the presidency and police authorities have called on youths to abandon the plan.

Shettima appeals to Nigerians to shelve protest

In another development, Legit.ng reported that Vice President Kashim Shettima urged Nigerians to focus on constructive action rather than protest on Friday, July 26, despite the current economic hardships.

Shettima made this appeal while announcing the Federal Government’s involvement in the Grand Challenges Nigeria Project during a high-level meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Source: Legit.ng