The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has distanced itself from the proposed #FreeNnamdiKanu protest reportedly scheduled for October 20, describing it as a politically motivated move orchestrated by activist Omoyele Sowore and his allies.
Speaking at a press conference in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, NANS President Comrade Olushola Oladoja said the association had no knowledge of, and would not participate in, any protest linked to Sowore or any other political group.
Oladoja stressed that NANS remains committed to the rule of law, due process, and peaceful engagement, noting that the case involving the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is a legal matter currently before a competent court.
“The leadership of NANS wishes to state categorically and unequivocally that we are not, and will not be, part of any protest organized or influenced by Omoyele Sowore or any politically motivated group,” he said. “The entire claim is false, mischievous, and designed to drag the name of our noble association into political controversies that do not align with our mandate as a student body.”
He cautioned Sowore and his group against using NANS’ name to lend credibility to what he described as a “politically driven agenda.”
Oladoja urged parents and guardians to warn their children and wards not to be deceived or lured into participating in any protest sponsored by “greedy and self-serving politicians who do not mean well for the nation or the student community.”
He further advised the public, media, and security agencies to disregard any publication or online message suggesting that NANS was mobilizing for a protest in support of Nnamdi Kanu.
“Our focus remains on education, youth development, peace, and national unity—not partisan agitation,” he said. “We will continue to pursue the interests of Nigerian students through dialogue, advocacy, and collaboration with relevant stakeholders, not through chaos or politically induced protests.”
Oladoja reaffirmed that NANS remains a law-abiding and patriotic body, committed to promoting peace, progress, and the prosperity of Nigeria and its students.
