NANS tackles DSS, vows to proceed with planned protest in UNILAG

The National Association of Nigerian Students has warned the Department of State Services not to deter students from exercising their rights to protest, saying this is a universally recognised human right.

Giwa Temitope, National Public Relations Officer of the union, was responding to the statement made by DSS that some politicians were organising student leaders for violent protest against the Federal Government over socioeconomic matters.

“Intelligence reports have indicated that the plotters include certain politicians who are desperately mobilising unsuspecting student leaders, ethnic-based associations, youth, and disgruntled groups for the planned action,” Peter Afunanya, spokesperson for the security agency, said on Monday.

Supporting the move to protest against the hike in school fees at the University of Lagos, NANS spokesperson, in a statement on Tuesday, said the student association would be storming UNILAG for the protest and urged the DSS not to trespass on the rights of students.

Giwa said, “It is quite embarrassing that the DSS has derailed to become the propaganda arm of the Federal Government, thereby, raising false alarms and even interfering in affairs that do not in any way relate to their line of profession.

“As an association, we maintain that we are not satisfied with how the Nigerian society is being run, most especially, as regards arbitrary fee increment across our tertiary institutions, with the University of Lagos being a model.”

NANS said the failure of the UNILAG management to uphold the agreement reached at the meeting with student leaders on August 2, “forced the student body to fix a date of action at the university for September 6 and the protest will hold till the management reverses the hike.

“Students are therefore enjoined to come out en masse and join the protest for the immediate reversal of fees at the University of Lagos,” he statement said