NANS condemns increase in death of students in tertiary institutions

THE leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned the recent increase in the killing of students in some of tertiary institutions in the country.

NANS President, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, called on the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure that nation’s campuses are not only safe for teaching and learning, urgent action must also be taken to address the plight of students.

One of the issues affecting students, he noted is the sexual harassment of students by lecturers.

Emonefe noted a distressing incident of the death of Miss Favour Ugwuka, a final year student of Ebonyi State University, who reportedly committed suicide on Wednesday, 22nd May, because of pressure from a lecturer who repeatedly failed her in his course.

“While we strongly believe that suicide is not a solution to any problem, we condemn the actions of the lecturer that led to the death of Miss Favour.

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“We call for an immediate investigation into the matter, as we believe it will serve as a deterrent to others with similar intentions,” he said.

He said the unfortunate murder of James Michael Anajuwe and Musa Hussein, both students of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Lokoja, Kogi state, were tragic events that pose a threat to education.

The NANS President said: “We are concerned that incidents like these continue to instill fear in students who are eager to pursue their studies for the sole purpose of developing society.

“We also demand justice for the soul of a student from Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, identified as Alex, who was unjustly killed on Saturday, May 25th by his fellow students over an allegation of phone theft.

“It is crucial for authorities to fulfill their constitutional duty of ensuring the safety and security of students, both on and off campus. The recent incidents have exposed significant security gaps that must be addressed urgently.

“NANS, under our leadership, will continue to advocate for justice for these innocent students who have untimely lost their lives,” he stated.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE