Warning Issued to State Leaders: NANS Urges Prevention of Future ASUU Work Stoppage in Line with 2025 Accord

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has cautioned state governors whose universities are impacted by the recent Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, ultimatum to prevent their failure to implement the 2025 agreement with the union from triggering another round of university strikes.

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NANS issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, emphasizing that students should not be penalized for disputes between ASUU and governments, and that any further university shutdown would exacerbate the academic, psychological, and economic hardship already endured by millions of Nigerian students.

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The students' body spoke out against the backdrop of ASUU's decision to authorize 20 university branches to issue 14-day ultimatums over outstanding aspects of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, with industrial action potentially looming after the expiration of the ultimatums.

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This development has already led to industrial action at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, heightening fears of a fresh disruption of the university academic calendar.

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NANS President, Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, acknowledged ASUU members' right to demand the implementation of agreements reached with the government, but urged the union not to direct the consequences of the dispute at students.

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According to him, Nigerian students have already endured enough disruptions through previous strikes, resulting in prolonged academic programs, delayed graduation, and significant psychological distress.

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The students' body shifted the burden of responsibility to state governments, arguing that where outstanding obligations under the 2025 agreement concern state-owned universities, the affected governors should immediately intervene rather than allow universities to become casualties of administrative failures.

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NANS described any governor who allows an avoidable strike to cripple the university system despite increased allocations accruing to states as "irresponsible and unfit to be a Governor".

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It accused such governors of showing "gross insensitivity" to students and university workers, describing failure to meet their obligations as a serious dereliction of responsibility.

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The association demanded immediate action from governors of states with affected universities to resolve outstanding issues and ensure that benefits due to eligible academic staff are paid without further delay.

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NANS warned that students would resist any attempt to make them bear the consequences of what it described as the "irresponsibility, ineptitude and callousness" of state authorities.

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"It is neither fair nor just for students to be sent away from classrooms because of the irresponsibility of these state governments," the association declared, stressing that students must not become victims of disputes over agreements to which they were not parties.

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The students' body appealed to ASUU's leadership to reconsider any action that could lead to the closure of universities, urging the union to intensify engagement with the governments and institutions responsible for outstanding obligations.

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NANS said the classroom should be "the last place where the consequences of an administrative failure are borne by innocent students".

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The association pledged to continue engaging ASUU, the Federal Government, and university managements constructively, insisting that Nigerian students deserve an uninterrupted academic environment.