Nigerian student body denies revenge attacks

THE National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has denied involvement in the attacks and looting of South African firms in Abuja, and condemned both “the recent barbaric violence in South Africa and the attempted reprisal by some misguided youths in Nigeria”.

NANS National President, Chinonso Obasi, said while the association joins the rest of the world in condemning the wanton killing and destruction of property in South Africa, it wishes to register its displeasure at the vandalism and attacks on multinational firms in Nigeria.

He stated that protesters who attacked and destroyed public buildings and looted shops in the name of anti-xenophobic protests were not members of the National Association of Nigerian Students.

“Our attention was drawn to visuals of some hirelings that carried out mindless destruction and looting of offices and commercial entities owned or run by South Africans in Nigeria. NANS, being a responsible union of Nigerian students, have met and resolved to issue this rebuttal and calls on Nigeria security agencies to fish out the criminals looting and destroying offices of companies doing legitimate business in the country. It is regrettable that the security agencies failed to nip the destruction (in the bud) by heeding our earlier alert that some enemies of due process were hiring jobless artisans to levy destruction on South African businesses in the name of anti-xenophobe protests. “The National Association of Nigerian Students under my leadership as President had in a press statement that was published on many online media platforms on February 23, 2017 revealed plans by some disgruntled elements to disguise their hunger for mischief by gathering street urchins from neighbouring settlements in the name of our responsible umbrella body (NANS) to carry out attacks on facilities and investments owned by South Africans,” he added.