NANS THREATENS NATIONWIDE PROTEST OVER PROLONGED CLOSURE OF BENUE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has issued a five-day ultimatum to the Benue State Government to resolve its disputes with relevant staff unions and reopen the state’s affected tertiary institutions.
NANS said students in five state-owned institutions have been out of school for more than two months, describing the prolonged closure as unacceptable and detrimental to their academic progress.
The students’ body demanded that the state government resolve its outstanding disputes with the Benue chapters of the Colleges of Agriculture and Allied Institutions Staff Union, COASU, and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, and make arrangements for students to return to their classrooms.
NANS said failure to reach an agreement and reopen the institutions within five working days would lead to the mobilisation of students from across the country to Makurdi for a peaceful demonstration on Friday, September 25, 2026.
The affected institutions are Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo; Akperan Orshi Polytechnic, Yandev, Gboko; Akawe Torkula Polytechnic, Makurdi; Benue State College of Education, Oju; and College of Education, Katsina-Ala.
NANS called on students in the affected institutions to remain calm and steadfast, saying its leadership was committed to ensuring that academic activities resume. It also directed its structures to begin mobilisation for the planned protest if the ultimatum expires without a resolution.
