Forum of Zonal Coordinators of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called for a shift from protests to constructive dialogue regarding the recent fuel price hike.
The NANS coordinators emphasised that engaging in discussions with relevant stakeholders would be more effective in addressing the issue and finding sustainable solutions rather than resorting to demonstrations that could be hijacked by those with selfish interests.
The forum reiterated that NANS had not called for any protest or demonstration, urging the general public to disregard any call for protests made by non-students with ulterior motives.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the chairman of the forum, Comrade Bilal Kurfi, sympathised with the student population over the challenges posed by economic policies introduced by the Tinubu administration.
He said, “Rather than the student population marching to the streets in protests that could be hijacked to further heighten the already escalating tension in the system, we believe that dialogue, rather than confrontation, should be adopted to resolve the current crisis. We are intellectuals, not street urchins or political thugs who can be hired by anyone or a group of moneybags to destabilise the country.