The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has announced its full participation in the planned nationwide protest demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement issued on Monday, NANS President, Comrade Atiku Isah, said the protest, themed “Free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” is scheduled to hold on Monday, October 20, 2025, across the country.
Isah disclosed that the decision to mobilise students for the protest was reached during a recent executive meeting of the association, noting that the move aligns with NANS’ advocacy for justice, civil rights, and democratic accountability in Nigeria.“Following the resolution reached at the recent executive meeting chaired by the National President, Comrade Atiku Isah, the leadership of NANS hereby calls on all Nigerian students to participate in the ‘Free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’ nationwide protest scheduled for Monday, 20th October, 2025,” the statement read.
According to the released programme, students from all geopolitical zones are expected to assemble at designated convergence points before proceeding to Abuja for the main demonstration:
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South West Zone: Ekiti State
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South East Zone: Enugu State
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South South Zone: Edo State
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North East Zone: Bauchi State
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North West Zone: Kano State
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North Central Zone: Lokoja, Kogi State
NANS said 10 buses will be allocated to each zone to facilitate transportation, while detailed travel plans will be communicated directly to Students’ Union Government (SUG) presidents nationwide.
The students’ body maintained that the mobilisation forms part of its broader demand for fairness and respect for human rights, stressing that its members remain committed to peaceful advocacy.“As students, we affirm that freedom is achieved through struggle, and we remain committed to peaceful advocacy for what is right,” the statement added.
The planned protest comes amid the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which began on Monday, shutting down academic activities in public universities.
The development follows an earlier call by activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, who announced October 20 as the date for a march to the Presidential Villa to demand Kanu’s release.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, following his rearrest in Kenya and extradition to Nigeria.