Hunger Protest: Avoid Unnecessary Risk, Stay on Campus, Education Minister Urges Students

The planned nationwide protest has gained significant traction on social media, trending under the hashtag #EndBadGovernance. Amid this growing momentum, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has advised university students to remain on campus during the protest period.

In a statement released on Monday by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Minister emphasized the importance of student safety, urging them to avoid unnecessary risks. This advisory was directed to the Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities and was signed by the NUC’s acting Executive Secretary, Chris Maiyaki.

“The Honourable Minister of Education has directed that the attention of Vice-Chancellors of all Nigerian Universities be formally drawn to the plan by unknown groups to embark on nationwide protests. The Federal Government is not unaware of the right of any Nigerian to peaceful protest, but is concerned about the safety of staff, students, and university property should there be any protest action,” the statement read.

Vice-Chancellors have been instructed to take proactive measures to ensure the security of university communities. Additionally, they are to issue specific assurances to staff and students about their safety and advise students to stay on campus and focus on their academic activities to avoid potential dangers associated with the protests.

This development follows the announcement of a nationwide protest scheduled for August 1 to 10, 2024. Despite the right to peaceful protest being acknowledged, the presidency and police authorities have called on the youth to reconsider participating, citing safety concerns.