NANS GIVES OGUN GOVERNMENT 72-HOUR ULTIMATUM TO RESCUE ABDUCTED STUDENTS, IMPROVE CAMPUS SECURITY
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By; Sunmola Ganiyat
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Ogun State Government and security agencies to rescue five abducted students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, arrest those responsible for the killing of a student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, and address the growing insecurity around tertiary institutions in the state.
The student body warned that it would embark on sustained peaceful protests across Ogun State if its demands were not met within the stipulated period.
NANS also urged the state government to send a high-powered delegation to sympathise with the family of Ahmed Sekinat, the student killed during a robbery attack, and visit another student currently receiving treatment for gunshot injuries at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.
The demands were presented on Wednesday during a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Abeokuta by the Secretary-General of NANS, Oladimeji Uthman, popularly known as “Dan Fodio.”
According to Uthman, insecurity has become a major concern across tertiary institutions in Ogun State, with students facing threats from kidnapping, armed robbery, cult violence, rape and other criminal activities.
He said recent incidents, including the abduction of five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic and the killing of a female student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, highlight the worsening security situation, alongside repeated attacks around Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, and Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic.
Uthman lamented that previous attempts by NANS to engage security agencies through strategic meetings yielded no meaningful response, alleging that invitations sent to relevant agencies were ignored.
Despite the criticism, he commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for deploying an operational police aircraft to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering and rescue operations in the state.
He, however, maintained that more decisive action was required and demanded the immediate rescue of the abducted students, the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the murder of the D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic student, and the prosecution of all perpetrators of violent attacks against students.
NANS also called for increased security patrols around campuses, the establishment of permanent security posts in vulnerable student communities, the deployment of the Ogun State Anti-Violent Crime Team to tertiary institutions, stronger collaboration between school authorities, host communities and security agencies, and the creation of an Ogun Security Agencies–Student Leaders Relations Forum.
The association stressed that its planned protests would remain peaceful and appealed to students’ unions, labour organisations, civil society groups and other stakeholders to support efforts aimed at improving security in tertiary institutions across Ogun State.
The ultimatum follows a series of recent attacks involving students, including the July 27 killing of an HND II Marketing student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic during a robbery attack in Eruku community and the abduction of five Gateway ICT Polytechnic students from a private hostel in Ipara Remo on July 29.
The Ogun State Police Command had earlier announced the deployment of tactical units to secure the safe rescue of the abducted students and track down those responsible for the attacks.
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