The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a five-working-day ultimatum to the Benue State Government over the prolonged closure of some tertiary institutions in the state, announcing plans for a mass mobilisation to Makurdi if the situation is not resolved.
The directive was contained in a public notice dated September 21, 2026, signed by Dist. Sen. Caleb King Ogabidu, Deputy Senate President, NANS National Headquarters.
According to the student body, students in the affected institutions have remained away from academic activities for more than two months because of unresolved disputes involving the state government and two education-sector unions.
NANS Demands Resolution of Disputes
NANS called on the Benue State Government to resolve its outstanding issues with the Benue State chapters of the Colleges of Agriculture and Allied Studies (COASU) and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).
The association also demanded that concrete arrangements be made to enable students to return to their classrooms and resume normal academic activities.
The student body said the continued disruption of academic activities was no longer acceptable, stressing that the interests of thousands of students should not be affected indefinitely by the dispute.
Five-Day Ultimatum Issued to State Government
As part of its directive, NANS gave the state government a period of five working days from the date of the notice to reach an agreement and facilitate the return of students to their institutions.
The association stated that failure to achieve this within the stipulated period would result in the mobilisation of its members from across the country to press for its demands.
NANS further directed its various structures to begin preparations for a peaceful demonstration upon the expiration of the ultimatum.
Planned Mobilisation in Makurdi
The notice announced a proposed mass mobilisation to Makurdi, Benue State, on Friday, September 25, 2026, in connection with the prolonged closure of the affected tertiary institutions.
The planned action was described by the student body as a peaceful demonstration aimed at drawing attention to the students' demand for the reopening of their schools.
There is a timing detail in the notice worth noting: while the document specifies Friday, September 25, 2026 for the mobilisation, it also refers to a five-working-day period from September 21. The source does not provide further clarification on how the two dates are to be reconciled.
Institutions Listed as Affected
NANS identified the following five institutions as being affected by the ongoing disruption:
- Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo
- Akpereshi Polytechnic, Yandev, Gboko
- Akawe Torkula Polytechnic, Makurdi
- Benue State College of Education, Oju
- College of Education, Katsina-Ala
The notice stated that students of these institutions have been out of school for more than two months.
NANS Calls for Return to Classrooms
The student association appealed to students in the affected institutions to remain steadfast while its leadership continues to pursue the issue.
It maintained that its intervention is focused on securing the return of students to their academic programmes and addressing what it described as the prolonged interruption of education in the state.
The association also framed access to education as a right and called for action that would prevent students from continuing to bear the consequences of the unresolved disputes.
What the Notice Means for Students
For students enrolled in the listed institutions, the immediate issue remains the continued suspension of normal academic activities and the proposed engagement between NANS and the Benue State Government.
The notice does not provide a specific date for the resumption of lectures or other academic activities. Instead, it calls for the government to resolve the disputes and conclude arrangements for students to return to their classrooms.
Students and other stakeholders will therefore need to rely on official communications from their institutions and relevant authorities for any confirmed information concerning resumption.
Conclusion
NANS has formally escalated its response to the prolonged closure of the five listed tertiary institutions in Benue State by issuing an ultimatum to the state government and announcing mobilisation plans in Makurdi. The association's stated objective is to secure a resolution of the outstanding disputes and facilitate the return of affected students to their classrooms.
Source: NANS National Headquarters public notice dated September 21, 2026.
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