The students body in a statement on Saturday said the planned demonstration follows more than a year of unfulfilled promises and worsening conditions at schools, including dilapidated structures and stalled scholarship payments.
The National Association of Niger State Students (NANISS) has declared plans for a mass protest in response to what it describes as prolonged neglect of the education sector and unpaid scholarships across the state.
The students body in a statement on Saturday said the planned demonstration follows more than a year of unfulfilled promises and worsening conditions at schools, including dilapidated structures and stalled scholarship payments.
In its resolution obtained by SaharaReporters on Saturday, NANISS said it had exhausted dialogue with authorities and pursued community-led actions in a bid to resolve the matter without resorting to street action.
“For records, we engaged Niger State Representatives, Traditional leaders, held Emergency Student Engagement, organised Special fasting and prayers among many others,” NANISS stated.
“Having patiently waited for over one year and engaged in extensive consultations without any positive response from the Niger State Government regarding the non-payment of scholarships and the urgent need to give adequate attention to the education sector, we are compelled to take action,” the statement read.
“Accordingly, NANISS is issuing a seven-day ultimatum to the Niger State Government. If there is no meaningful response within this stipulated time, we shall embark on a peaceful mass protest to press home our demands.”
“We remain peaceful and committed to ensuring the rights of Niger State students are respected and protected,” the leadership added.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that a civic tech organisation, MonITNG, called on Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to urgently intervene in the deplorable state of Government Technical College, Bida, Niger State.
The once-thriving technical institution now lies in ruins, with collapsed structures and roofs blown off by heavy winds, leaving classrooms unsafe and unfit for learning.
This comes despite billions of naira allocated by previous administrations, as well as Federal Government and international support.
In a statement issued on Saturday, MonITNG noted that the current administration continues to claim that 70% of the 2025 state budget is directed toward education and health, while ₦250billion in UBEC intervention funds remain available.
The watchdog stressed that the neglect of technical colleges has severe consequences, depriving young people of essential vocational skills in carpentry, electrical work, and mechanical training — skills that not only improve livelihoods but also contribute to local economic growth.
“Education should not be a privilege, it is the foundation of development. Niger State cannot continue like this,” it added.
