MEDIA WATCH BEGS NANS NOT TO ‘OCCUPY’ NATION’S AIRPORTS

Murtala Muhammed Airport

An appeal has gone to the leadership of National Associations of Nigerian Students (NANS) to rescind its decision to occupy the Nation’s Airports from tomorrow (Monday 19th September, 2022) in protest against continued strike of members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria made the appeal on Sunday in a Press Release issued by its National Coordinator Mal. Ibrahim Abdullahi and its National Secretary Dr. Nasir Balogun.

According to the Group, since the matter under contention is being adequately addressed from all angles, street protests leading to blockage of federal highways, access to Airports and disruption of flights will surely lead to breakdown of law and order as law enforcement agents would surely prevent such to happen which might eventually lead to preach of peace currently being enjoyed by all and sundry.

The Group maintained that in Nigeria, when lawful protests are set in motion, miscreants and unpatriotic elements usually hijack such lawful protests to wreck havoc on the people such as we witnessed during #ENDSARS protests throughout the Country two years ago.

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria said ‘Nigeria cannot bear such a terrible hardship and dislocation again as ‘two wrongs do not make right)’. It appealed to our great and noble students under NANS to allow peace to prevail by exercising a little patience more for the matter to be resolved within a very short time; pointing out that the Group is confident that the matter would be resolved within this month for academic activities to commence in the first week of next month in-shaa-Allah ( By the grace of God).

The Group went further to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to kindly take urgent steps to make resumption of all affected students in Nigeria possible by the first week of October, this year by granting more concessions no matter how little to put the bad event behind us; adding that his assurance to the Pro-Chancellors of Federal Universities that visited him few days ago was highly promising.

Turning to ASUU, the Muslim Media Watch called on the leadership and membership of the Union to reflect on the untold hardship their strike has inflicted on Nigerian irrespective of tribe, faith, status and the geographical locations they reside across the Country; and called on them to resolve to accept whatever the Federal Government puts forward any moment from now as being acceptable to them ‘for us to move forward’; warning that intransigence and hardline postures on both sides portends danger for Nigeria and its citizens.

ASUU has been on strike since February, 14th this year – a situation that has been too hard for all citizens in Nigeria to bear.