NANS Gives Ogun Govt 72 Hours To Rescue Abducted Students

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has given the Ogun State Government and security agencies a 72-hour ultimatum to rescue five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, abducted last week.

The students’ body also demanded the arrest of those behind the killing of Ahmed Sekinat, a student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, and called for urgent action to address worsening insecurity around tertiary institutions across the state.

NANS warned that it would begin sustained peaceful protests if its demands were not met within the stipulated period.

The ultimatum follows a string of attacks involving students in Ogun State.

On July 27, an HND II Marketing student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, was reportedly shot dead during a robbery attack in the Eruku community. Another student sustained gunshot injuries and is receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.

Two days later, on July 29, gunmen abducted five students from a private hostel of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, in Ipara Remo, Remo North Local Government Area.

The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident and said it had deployed tactical units to secure the safe rescue of the victims.

NANS Secretary-General, Oladimeji Uthman, issued the ultimatum on Wednesday during a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Abeokuta.

He also urged the state government to send a high-powered delegation to condole with the family of Sekinat and visit the injured student.

Uthman said students across Ogun’s tertiary institutions now live in fear because of recurring cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, cult violence, rape and other criminal activities.

“The recent abduction of five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, the killing of a female student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, and repeated armed robbery attacks around Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, and Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo, underscored the worsening security situation in the state.

“For far too long, students have continued to live in fear. The safety of lives and property on and around our campuses has been grossly threatened by armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, cult-related violence and other criminal activities. Students can no longer move freely, attend lectures or return to their hostels without fear of attack,” he said.

He also criticised what he described as the failure of security agencies to respond to previous efforts by NANS to discuss the growing insecurity around tertiary institutions.

“It is deeply regrettable that despite the growing insecurity across off-campus hostels in our tertiary institutions, the National Association of Nigerian Students wrote to all heads of security agencies in the state requesting a strategic meeting to discuss practical and lasting solutions.

“Regrettably, these requests were not honoured. This refusal to engage with the legitimate representatives of Nigerian students has frustrated genuine efforts aimed at finding collaborative solutions while students continue to suffer armed robbery attacks, kidnappings, violent assaults and loss of lives,” Uthman said.

However, he commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for deploying an operational police aircraft to strengthen security operations in the state.

According to him, the deployment will improve aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering and rescue operations.