NANS Threatens ‘Mother of All Protests’ Over Ondo Varsity Strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students has approved fresh protests across states affected by the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities strike, warning that students can no longer continue to bear the consequences of prolonged industrial disputes.

NANS National President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, said the association had authorised its Joint Campus Committees in Ondo, Niger, Nasarawa and other affected states to begin mobilisation for what he described as a “mother of all protests.”

The announcement comes amid continued disruption of academic activities in several Ondo State-owned universities.

Institutions affected include Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, and Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa.

Recent reports confirm that the industrial action has been linked to disputes over implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and outstanding salary-related obligations.

Afeez described the prolonged shutdown as unacceptable, saying students were being forced to suffer for disagreements between governments, university authorities and academic unions.

He said NANS would relocate its national leadership to university campuses from next week as part of efforts to intensify pressure for a resolution.

“We demand urgent action. We demand a lasting solution. We demand that students’ time and future be respected” Afeez said.

The NANS president had previously praised the Ondo JCC for engaging the state government over the strike, noting that the government had announced increased subvention to state-owned institutions and pledged to implement the 2025 agreement.

However, with the dispute still unresolved, the students’ body has now signalled a tougher approach, warning that prolonged academic disruption cannot continue indefinitely.

NANS said its planned mobilisation would extend to other states where students are similarly affected by ongoing ASUU strikes.