ASNAT warns members: Stay away from Sowore’s protest plans

The Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT) has urged its members across the country to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and refrain from joining any protest allegedly organised by activist Omoyele Sowore and his associates.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the National Coordinator of ASNAT, Comrade Adeshina Akinyemi, said the association would not support any politically motivated demonstration disguised as a fight for freedom.

He described such actions as attempts to destabilise the country and disrupt the livelihoods of hardworking Nigerians.

Reacting to reports of a failed mass protest purportedly aimed at securing the release of the proscribed IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Akinyemi said while Nigerians have the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, that right must not infringe on others’ freedom to conduct their daily businesses without fear or obstruction.

He reminded members of the vital role artisans and technicians play in sustaining the nation’s economy, urging them to focus on their trades and ignore calls for unrest by “misguided politicians seeking chaos under the cloak of activism.”

While expressing sympathy for Nnamdi Kanu and his family, Akinyemi maintained that the matter remains before a competent court, and the rule of law must prevail.

He reiterated ASNAT’s commitment to peace, stability, and national development, cautioning that no genuine national cause is advanced through violence or disorder.

“We call on all our members nationwide to stay calm, law-abiding, and continue contributing to Nigeria’s progress. ASNAT will not be part of any politically driven attempt to destabilise our country,” he stated.

Akinyemi also recalled the devastating impact of the #EndSARS protests, which he said inflicted pain and losses on artisans and technicians nationwide.

He appealed to members to avoid any form of participation, whether through physical presence or online mobilisation.