NANS protests against MTN, Multichoice, Stanbic

NANS protest in Yola

File photo: NANS protest in Yola

NANS protest in Yola

Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Thursday took to the streets of Abeokuta, Ogun state and Yola in Adamawa to protest against xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.

In the two cities, the students marched through major streets bearing placards and ending up at the offices of companies owned by South Africans.

In Yola, the marchers carried posters with inscriptions such as: ‘NANS say no to xenophobia,’ ‘Why kill our citizens and loot their properties?’ ‘Enough of spiral silence,’ ‘Nigerian students can no longer keep quiet while South Africans kill Nigerians,’ ‘Nigerians are no weaklings or cowards,’ ‘End South African businesses in Nigeria.’

In Abeokuta, the protest was similar. The placards bore denunciatory messages such as “South Africans have declared war; Enough is Enough; Nigerian Students can no longer keep quiet while South Africans kill Nigerians and All South African business interests must leave Nigeria now among others”.

In Yola, the students led by their National Financial Secretary, Danladi Jonah, picketed the offices of South African businesses in Nigeria, including Stanbic Bank, DSTV, and MTN.

Addressing the management of Stanbic Bank at the bank’s branch office on Aliyu Mustapha Way, Jimeta, Danladi Jonah said the bank branch would remain shut for all of Thursday and Friday in line with the directive for the anti-xenophobia protest from NANS leadership.

“We are giving South African businesses seven days to relocate, after which we will take the next plan of action,” he said.

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Addressing the students, Stanbic Bank Zonal Operations Manager, Abubakar Usman enjoined them to be calm, assuring that he would communicate their grievance to the headquarters of the bank.

An attempt by the students to shut offices of South African firms, such as Stanbic IBTC branch in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta failed.

The management of the bank and staff rebuffed them, as some policemen in five Hilux vans from zone 2 Area Command were on hand to ensure the protection of lives and property.

National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Azeez Adeyemi, who led the protest in Abeokuta, said their action was meant to send a strong signal to the South African government over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

The NANS PRO said the students’ body could no longer fold its arm and watch Nigerians being killed in South Africa.

About 127 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa.The murder of Mrs Elizabeth Ndubuisi, a Nigerian top insurance executive in a hotel in Johannesburg, appeared to have triggered the current anger.

Also Read: Close your companies and leave

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