Abduction of students: NANS to shutdown airports, highways, NASS complex, others on Friday

Following the incessant kidnapping and killings of students in schools in some parts of the country by bandits and other terrorist groups, the leadership of the National Association Nigerian Students (NANS) will on Friday protest to demand that political leaders irrespective of their political affiliations to come together and solve the rising insecurity in Nigerian universities.

The student’s body threatened that it would shut down all federal highways, the National Assembly complex, airport terminals and institutions of learning, should the government fail to rescue the remaining students kidnapped in Kaduna state and other life-threatening challenges Nigeria students are facing in different parts of the country.

The President of Senate, NANS, Comrade Chuks Okafor, disclosed this in a Communique issue, shortly after addressing some selected Journalists at NUJ Press Centre Awka, on Tuesday, on the trending security situation facing the country, especially, on the lives of Nigeria students.

According to the communique; these attacks took place in Greenfield University, Kaduna State, where over 40 students were kidnapped and about 5 of them have been killed so far, National College of Forestry, Kaduna, where over 29 students were kidnapped, and Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State to mention but a few.

“In the East, the ravaging issues of incessant killings of young students by suspected rival cult groups and herders conflict has also taken a new dimension with growing threats to peace and conducive learning environment we have enjoyed over the years.

“Few weeks ago, the Anambra State Capital Awka, witnessed what could be simply referred to as ‘battleground’ by suspected rival cult groups which claimed the lives of many leaders of tomorrow.

“Just recently, the students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University took to their heels over an attack by hoodlums within the ‘off-campus’ residence of the students.

“It is regrettable that in the past few months, we have witnessed deadly attacks and kidnapping of students across higher institutions in Nigeria and at least, not fewer than over 100 students have been kidnapped by bandits with a good numbers of others still missing.

“This ugly development has disrupted academic learning in most of the institutions under attacks.

“Beyond the disruption of academic curriculum, these raging attacks have far-reaching impacts on the psychosocial lives of the students.

“More critical is the fact that we are getting into another election year in Nigeria with an imminent one coming up in Anambra State on the 6th November 2021. With the growing threats of insecurity as of today, the Nigerian students are worried over the fact that most electoral polling units are located within campuses and we are further concerned over the safety of our students and the success of the elections in these pooling units within the campuses.

“We therefore, call on the government and leadership of Nigeria irrespective of political party to commence immediate proactive and pragmatic actions towards this development in other to restore the confidence of the students in campuses and salvaging the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria. We believe that, if not checked at the moment, our country will suffer untold difficulties that will be posed by the leadership of the Nigerian students.

“As students, we know that the security of lives and welfare of the people is the primary responsibility of the government and as a result, we humbly appeal to our President, His Excellency, Muhamadu Buhari (GCFR) to step up and come to the rescue of the Nigerian students and the Nigerian society at large.

“Our country is asymmetrically navigating into ‘stateless’ society where life was nasty, brutish and short. We hope and pray that if concerted efforts are taken now, Nigeria will come out of these challenges stronger and better” the communique read.

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