Attempt by members of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) to shutdown the office of the mobile telecommunication giant; MTN in Awka on Wednesday was stalled by the State Commissioner of Police, CP John Abang.
Withinnigeria had reported that the group had planned to revenge the killing of Nigerians in South African by shutting down both the MTN and Shoprite in Onitsha.
Members of the association had started assembling at the Amaenyi office of the telecommunications giant in the heart of Awka, the Anambra State capital as early as 8am before its leadership received a summon from commissioner.
Mr. Anthony Ojiaku, coordinator and leader of the protest told newsmen that its leadership had been summoned by the police commissioner, “so for now we are shelving the protest until after the meeting,” he said.
The state police commissioner, CP Abang, who spoke to our correspondent said he heard of the plan and quickly intervened to forestall breakdown of law and order.
“I have a mandate to protect lives and property in Anambra, and what I did was to summon the leaders of the association to a meeting. They are young and can be violent, but I sat them down and spoke to them like a father.
“I told them the office they were going to attack does not have South Africans inside, but their own brothers and sisters.
I also told them the implication of what they were about to do, and without deploying force, we were able to make them change their mind.”
