Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a strong condemnation of the management of the Nigeria Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) over its decision to ban the institution's Students' Union Government (SUG), describing the move as an act of tyranny, dictatorship, and a direct assault on the fundamental rights of students. In a press statement released on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, rejected the ban and demanded its immediate reversal, warning that the leadership of the student body would not stand idly by while the rights of Nigerian students are trampled upon.
The decision to ban the SUG was taken by the management of NILEST under the leadership of its Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Auwal Mustapha Imam. In his statement, the NANS President expressed grave concern over the development, which he said threatens the liberty and freedom of students at the institute. "We condemn in its entirety this unilateral decision by the Management of NILEST, under the leadership of Dr. Auwal Mustapha Imam, FNIP, to ban Students' Union activities in the institution. This is an aberration of the highest order and a direct assault on the fundamental rights of students, who, without a doubt, have the right to freedom of association," Afeez declared.
The NANS President argued that the management lacks the prerogative to ban student union activities, especially without a viable objective or convincing justification. "To be unequivocal, the Management lacks the prerogative to ban Students' Union activities, let alone to do so without a viable objective or convincing justification. Indeed, there can be no justification of sufficient weight to warrant suppression, oppression, and intimidation of this magnitude," he said. Afeez drew a parallel between the ban on student unions and the impossibility of a government banning staff unions, asserting that the management does not have the authority to abolish a union that exists to safeguard the welfare of the student populace through quality representation.
The NANS President also rejected what he termed "tyranny, dictatorship, and injustice," insisting that the decision cannot be allowed to stand. "To us, as the apex leadership of Nigerian students, this is tyranny, dictatorship, and injustice, and it cannot be allowed to stand. Just as a governing council or government cannot ban staff unions, the Management likewise does not have the authority to ban a Students' Union Government that exists to safeguard the welfare of the student populace through quality representation," he stated.
In light of the ban, Afeez called on the management to reverse the decision immediately and embrace dialogue. "We call on the Management of NILEST to immediately reverse this cruel, oppressive, and tyrannical decision to ban the Students' Union Government in the institution. Furthermore, we enjoin the Management to embrace the path of peace through dialogue, as the leadership of NANS will explore every legitimate means available to ensure that the rights of Nigerian students are not taken from them by tyrants," he said.
The statement also served as a warning to the management, as the NANS President made it clear that the student body would not remain passive. "The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) stands firmly opposed to tyranny, oppression, and every act of intimidation aimed at suppressing students and silencing their voices. We will not stand idly by while the rights of Nigerian students are trampled upon. We remain resolutely committed to advancing the collective will of Nigerian students, and we will continue to advocate for their improved welfare," Afeez declared.
The ban on the SUG at NILEST comes at a time when student union activities across Nigerian tertiary institutions have come under increasing scrutiny and, in some cases, suppression. NANS has previously intervened in similar situations, including the dissolution of the students' union at the University of Port Harcourt and the imposition of SUG leaders at Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State. The association has consistently maintained that student unions are essential for the protection of students' rights and welfare and that any attempt to undermine them is an attack on the democratic rights of students.
The NILEST management, under Dr. Auwal Mustapha Imam, has yet to issue a public response to the condemnation by NANS. However, the institute has faced previous criticism from staff unions over welfare issues. In May 2025, the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP) issued a warning to the Director-General, threatening to resume a strike if pressing staff welfare issues were not urgently addressed. This history of labour disputes suggests a pattern of strained relations between the management and various unions within the institution.
The NANS statement has been met with widespread support from student groups and civil society organisations, many of which have expressed solidarity with the students of NILEST and called on the management to respect the rights of students to associate and organise. The development is likely to further escalate tensions at the institute, as the student body and its national leadership prepare to take action if the ban is not reversed.
As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on whether the NILEST management will heed the call from NANS to reverse the ban or whether the student body will follow through on its threat to explore "every legitimate means" to ensure the rights of students are protected. For now, the students of NILEST and the wider Nigerian student community await the next move in what has become a significant test of the autonomy of student unions in the country's tertiary institutions.
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