Xenophobic Attacks: NANS Members Attack Each Other Over Free Ticket To South Africa

Two factions of the National Association of Nigerian Students on Wednesday in Abuja engaged each other in a brawl over plans by the South African High Commission to sponsor some of them to the country.

NANS Members

President of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Bello Shagari, who led the group, was in company with the President of Students Union Government of the University of Abuja.

Acting South African High Commissioner, Bobby Moroe, after a meeting with the students’ leaders said his country was planning to engage Nigerian youth on a cultural exchange visit.

He said the motive behind the visit was to further tighten the existing relationship between Nigeria and South Africa.

Moroe noted that the trip would enable the NANS members to meet with their South African counterparts as part of measures to resolve attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

However, later the legit President of NANS, Danielson Akpan, and other executive members stormed the South African High Commission and claimed to be the authentic representatives of students in Nigeria.

He said those invited for the meeting were impostors and not the executive members of NANS.

He berated the group for tarnishing the image of the student union and for accepting such offer while their compatriots were being killed in South Africa.

Akpan’s aid thereafter descended on members of the other group, who had been inside the high commission building early.

It took the timely intervention of the police to arrest the situation.(Newsacross).

University of Abuja SUG President

Statement released by NANS President Media Team below:

''XENOPHOBIC KILLINGS STRUGGLE, UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA SUG PRESIDENT CAUGHT SABOTAGING.

The NANS struggle initiated against South African killings of Nigerians under the guise of xenophobia, is being sabotaged by the SUG President, Sulaiman Rabiu (Aluta standard), University of Abuja.

We got information about his appearance at the South African High Commission in Abuja a couple of hours ago. We moved quickly to the embassy, upon the arrival of the NANS leadership, ably led by the Global President of NANS, Comr. Danielson Akpan, we met him and his team at the gate leaving.

As our traditions demand, we told the media that were present that they (the SUG President and his cohorts) do not represent the interest of Nigerian students.

The journalists present briefed us that the SUG President in the cause of the meeting said "he's the leader representing the students in the meeting... ". This is a sabotage of the struggle and can't be overlooked.

The President of NANS assures all Nigerians of his undying and unalloyed patriotic stance for Nigeria.''