- Safiu Kehinde
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has on Thursday denied claims of withdrawing from the planned protest in demand for the release of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
NPO Reports that the Olushola Oladoja-led faction of had yesterday denied the students body’s participation in the protest.
He made this known while speaking to newsmen at the Federal Cooperative College in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Oladoja described reports linking the association to the proposed #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest scheduled for October 20 as false, misleading and mischievous.
However, in a statement on Thursday evening, Atiku Isah, another factional NANS President refuted Oladoja’s claims as he insisted that the students are part of the exercise.
Isah in the statement ‘Refutation of the purported claim of NANS not part of protest’, accused the government of being behind the claims that the association was not part of the protest.
He alleged that the faction who appeared at the Press Conference were not members of the association but mobilised by the government.
The statement partly read, “The attention of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has been drawn to an online publication aimed at misleading concerned Nigerians who are dissatisfied with the injustice by the Nigerian government and have resolved to exercise their inalienable rights to protest to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu.
“Some touts were hired to claim to be members of our prestigious organization, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), by agents of government to disassociate themselves from the planned peaceful protest.
“We urge all well meaning Nigerians to join the protest for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. An injury to one is an injury to all. All for one and one for all.”
According to reports, Isah had on Monday announced NANS involvement in the protest.
Outlining the mode of mobilisation, Isah said students would converge at the various zones before proceeding to Abuja.
“South West Zone: Students are to converge in Ekiti State and depart for Abuja on Sunday, 19th October, 2025. South East Zone: All students are to meet in Enugu. South-South Zone: The convergence point is Edo State,” he stated.