THE National Association of Nigerian Students has condemned in strong terms the crisis that erupted in Jos, Plateau State, leading to the gruesome killings, especially of some innocent students of the University of Jos.
NANS President, Comrade Sunday Asefon, who addressed a news conference on Monday in Abuja on the parlous security situation in the country, called on government at all levels, security agencies to ensure that justice is adequately served and perpetrators of this evil are brought to book and made to face the full weight of the law.
He also demanded compensation for the families of the slain students, noting, however, that the loss of innocent Nigerian students in the last few days could not be quantified.
NANS, therefore, condoled with the people and government of Plateau State, the families of the slain students and promised to stand by them as they navigate this difficult time.
Asefon said NANS was worried by the growing attacks on schools and kidnapping of students for ransom, disclosing plans by the student body to convene a Students National Security Summit on October 28, 2021 to be held in Abuja in the effort to finding alternative, innovative, creative, and students friendly solutions to the challenge of school and campus security in Nigeria.
He said: “We have followed carefully the security development in Plateau State in the last few days resulting in the killings of innocent Nigerians and most, unfortunately, the killing of innocent students of the University of Jos.
“This crisis is not only disgraceful, ridiculous, and reckless but it is condemnable in the strongest terms.
“The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) while still overwhelmed by the spate of the kidnapping of students in the North West and North Central, NANS cannot grasp the motivation behind this senseless killing.
“NANS as an association has been gravely affected by this crisis. The loss of innocent Nigerian students in the last few days cannot be quantified.
“Unfortunately but expectedly, the University of Jos has been closed down to reduce the number of students casualty and evacuation of students to their various states has begun over weeks.
“All well-meaning Nigerians must work together and unite against religious intolerance to avoid the reoccurrence of this ugly development. We must learn from the irreparable loss we have suffered in the last few days, especially the loss of lives of innocent Nigerians whose only crime is being a Nigerian, going about their daily life, and seeking education.
“The various structures of our organization have collaborated with the state government to evacuate great numbers of students to safety.
“We will continue to ensure that all students in need of refuge are evacuated. We want to commend the Ekiti State Government, Lagos Organization (AOIYEO), the Kogi State Government, and in fact, other state governments State Government, Abia State Government, the Abuja Inhabitant Youth Empowerment that have shown great leadership in ensuring students are evacuated to safety and palliatives support are given to students during this emergency.
“NANS under our leadership will vigorously pursue compensation for the families of our slain members and many of our students who lost valuables to this emergency,” the NANS President said.
While calling on all state governments to ensure their students were evacuated from Jos, Asefon called on the government of Plateau State to go all out to restore peace and sanity to the state and also ensure that families who suffered the loss of lives, properties, valuables, and means of livelihood are supported by every resource available to the state to enable them to begin the process of healing.
He said: “After careful and all-inclusive consultations on the state of insecurity in our schools and campuses, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) under my leadership has decided to convene a Students National Security Summit on the 28th October, to be held in Abuja.
“The summit has become imperative in our effort to finding alternative, innovative, creative, and students friendly solutions to the challenge of school and campus security in Nigeria.
“The summit is envisioned to provide support to the nation’s security apparatuses in their fight against insecurity and crime especially on our campuses.
“Through the Security Summit, we shall bring together critical stakeholders in the security sector, critical stakeholders in the educational sector, critical security stakeholders in all the tertiary institutions in Nigeria and all the Students’ Union Government President.
“A decisive part of the summit shall be held behind close doors to ensure that decisions and new innovations towards safer schools only get to the accredited stakeholders in the summit,” he said.
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