Niger State Students Threaten Peaceful Mass Protest Over Unpaid Scholarships and Crumbling Schools
The National Association of Niger State Students (NANISS) has escalated its demands for educational reform by issuing a seven-day ultimatum to the state government, threatening a peaceful mass protest over unpaid scholarships and deteriorating school infrastructure.
In a strongly worded statement released on Saturday, NANISS declared that, after more than a year of fruitless dialogue and prayerful appeals; including engagements with state representatives, traditional leaders, and community-led initiatives, they now feel compelled to take a more public stand. As the statement reads: “For records, we engaged Niger State Representatives, Traditional leaders, held Emergency Student Engagement, organised Special fasting and prayers among many others.” However, with little to show for these efforts, they are now ready to escalate to public protest. The Guardian Nigeria
The group’s grievances extend beyond scholarship delays. They highlight how schools across the state, especially technical colleges, are fast deteriorating, with crumbling classrooms, collapsed structures, and classrooms rendered unsafe due to severe weather damage. Such institutional decay, they argue, compounds long-standing neglect despite substantial funding flowing into education. The Guardian NigeriaBlueprint Newspapers Limited
The civic tech watchdog MonITNG has echoed NANISS’s concerns, warning that the dire conditions at Government Technical College in Bida, with roofs blown off and unusable facilities, persist despite billions allocated through UBEC and mainstream budgets. According to the organisation, these failures undermine vocational training crucial for youth employability and local economic development. The Guardian Nigeria
Students emphasize that their planned demonstration will be peaceful and remain within legal bounds. The ultimatum gives the government seven days to provide a meaningful response; failure to do so will trigger a mass protest grounded in student rights and civic responsibility. The Guardian Nigeria
Where the state government will respond remains to be seen, but the urgency is clear. Education advocates warn that continued neglect risks breeding apathy among youths and eroding future prospects for a generation. This situation puts Niger State at risk of falling behind in human capital development, a trend that would have long-term economic and social consequences.
