The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a stern warning to heads of tertiary institutions, cautioning against any unwarranted increases in tuition fees following the Federal Government’s introduction of student loans under the NELFUND scheme.
This warning was articulated in a statement released after NANS’s 74th Senate sitting in Kano, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Wednesday. The statement was signed by Comrade Okunomo Adewumi.
“Any institution found doing so will face the full wrath and consequences of NANS. We will mobilise our members and take decisive action against such institutions. The leadership of NANS is ready to wage war against any school that increases tuition fees under the guise of the student loan scheme,” the statement read.
NANS also called for an immediate and significant reduction in tuition fees across all tertiary institutions in the country to alleviate the financial burden on students.
Regarding the planned mass protests against the current economic situation, NANS urged its members to remain calm and await the Federal Government’s response to their demands.
“While we understand the sentiments driving the proposed protest by well-meaning Nigerians, we urge our members to remain calm and observe the government’s response to our demands. We will not hesitate to mobilise if the government fails to address our concerns. We also acknowledge the right of Nigerians to exercise their civil rights and will not stand in the way of peaceful protests. However, we will not condone any attempts to sabotage the efforts of Nigerians calling on the government to take necessary action,” the statement concluded.