The national leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has directed Students’ Union Government (SUG) leaders in all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory to organise a mass protest against alleged victimisation and oppression of students by managements of tertiary institutions across the country in attempt to kill students’ activism.
The national Vice-President of the students’ umbrella body, Comrade Ojo Raymond, who made this disclosure at a press conference, Sunday in Abeokuta, said this action followed the “unlawful” arrest of the SUG president of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro (FPI), Ogun state, Comrade Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji for alleged cultism.
While lamenting alleged constant oppression and victimisation of student union leaders by managements of tertiary institutions across the country, Raymond disclosed that NANS has set aside a day, tagged, “National day of action against victimisation and intimidation of students’ union leaders”.
His said, “The National Executive Council of NANS as approved the proposal of a National day of Action against victimization and intimidation of Students Union leaders by Institutions management. In this direction the NANS National Secretariat has directed all Students Union Government in every state in the Federation to organise mass protest against Victimisation of our Students leader in their respective states before the National Day of Action to be held in Ogun state.
“As students leaders, we will continue to resist any attempt or calculated attempts to destabilise students unionism in Nigeria as we will continue to defend the interests of our students at all times in all fronts. We will equally fight this deliberate effort to destroy our Comrades as we have been able to ascertain in our fact-findings.”
Raymond also disclosed that national leadership of NANS will on Tuesday, July 7 storm the national headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to submit a petition against the Polytechnic, Dr. Olusegun Aluko over allegations of financial misappropriation and embezzlement.
He said, it had become imperative for NANS to take a drastic step to call the attention of the Federal government to probe activities of the Rector, especially as it relates to award of contracts for projects in the Polytechnic.
NANS accused the Rector of orchestrating the arrest of the suspended Olatunji for challenging the management of the institution over the allegation of financial misappropriation.
The students’ umbrella body also called on President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Honourable Minister of Education to urgently set a panel to investigate the execution of ongoing projects and projects executed by Aluko, alleging that majority of the projects did not follow due process and were executed by the Rector through his fronts and private companies.
He said, “National leadership of NANS will matching down to the headquarters of EFCC and ICPC on Tuesday, July 7 to submit a petition against the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Dr. Olusegun Aluko for gross financial misappropriation and embezzlement.
“The National President of NANS, Comrade Danielson Bamidele Akpan will lead the 16 National Excos, 37 states chairmen of the Joint Campus Committees (JCC) of NANS, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the four Zonal Coordinators of NANS in the match to the headquarters of EFCC and ICPC.
“We call on the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and that of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to as matter of urgency investigate the administration of all funds allocated or generated by Federal Polytechnic Ilaro since the appointment of Dr. Aluko as the Rector of the polytechnic”, Raymond said.
