The leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable, and has called on the Federal Government to engage all relevant stakeholders for a round table with a view to resolving the vexed issues affecting the country.
The President of NANS, Comrade Aruna Kadiri, dropped this hints on Sunday at a joint press conference on the state of the nation held in Enugu.
Comrade Kadiri noted, “the Nigerian students are the majority stakeholders in the Nigerian project, therefore they cannot afford to remain calm at these trying moments in the nation’s history. I recall that the Nigerian students body halted the first crisis in 1962 which threatened the unity and security of the country.
“As part of the first challenge that confronted Nigerian state on security issues was in 1962 Nigerian-Anglo Defence pact that only that only the Nigerian students had the courage to reject and consequently shut down. Today, we have resolved vehemently and consciously to address the nation and traditionally give them direction,” he added.He stressed that the choice of holding the world press conference in Enugu is to fraternise with the Igbo nation in as much as the agitation for self-determination is being fronted from the zone by IPOB and MASSOB.
“The choice of Enugu for this press conference is very significant and we consider the occasion epochal. Among the issues threatening to tear the country apart is the agitation by the Indigenous people of Biafra, a group of some Igbo people. So, in coming to Enugu, it is to identify with the people of Igbo land and share in their concerns. But while doing that we must remain united.”
The NANS President also condemned the quit notice by some group of Arewa Youths at the ‘Kaduna Declaration,’ urging the security agencies to provide adequate security for all Southern Nigerians living in the North.
He disclosed, “As party of NANS steps in condemning the act and waging war against such illicit action, NANS will mobilize Nigerian students from all nooks and cranny of the country for a Peace and Unity rally at Kaduna from September 30 to October 3,2017.”