The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Joint Campus Committee, Ondo Axis, has demanded an investigation into the actions of security agents in Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa’s entourage, who reportedly shot at students and injured several during the governor’s visit to a campus event on Monday.
According to Vanguard, the organization condemned the incident, calling it an unwarranted and provocative assault on innocent students.
In a statement released Monday night and signed by Chairman Comr. Oluwarotimi Joshua, General Secretary Comr. Oluwanishola Ajibola, and Public Relations Officer Comr. Kehinde Blessing, the group expressed bewilderment over the reasons behind the attack.
In response, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, explained via telephone that the security detail used tear gas canisters because they believed there was a threat to the governor’s security.
The statement by the students read,” The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Joint Campus Council (JCC) Ondo Axis has condemned in strong terms the brutal assault on students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), by security operatives accompanying the Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. This shocking incident occurred when the Student Union President of the institution, Comrade Boladale Oyindamola, popularly known as Mandela, along with his executive members, were trying to welcome the Governor to their campus.
“Comrade Mandela and his team were also planning to seize the opportunity to remind the Governor of his recent approval for the dualization of roads on campus. However, as they moved to greet and address the Governor, they were met with hostility. Security operatives prevented them from approaching the Governor and, in an alarming turn of events, the students were tear-gassed and viciously beaten. Chaos erupted when some of the students attempted to defend their colleagues, leading to further violence, with gunshots fired by the security personnel.
NANS JCC Ondo Axis has voiced its profound disappointment and outrage over the violent attack on student leaders and peaceful students.
It is alarming that students, who were merely trying to discuss important issues with the Governor, were met with such aggression. The group vehemently condemns this act and calls for swift justice for the students who were wronged.
“The association is demanding that Governor Aiyedatiwa issues a public apology to the students of AAUA and take immediate steps to hold the security personnel involved accountable for their actions. NANS JCC Ondo Axis is also calling for an urgent dialogue between the state government and the student leadership to address the pressing issues on campus, including the approved but yet-to-be-implemented road dualization project.
“The association stresses that the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are fundamental rights that must be respected at all times. NANS JCC Ondo Axis further warns that if the Ondo State government fails to address this incident swiftly and fairly, the association will not hesitate to mobilize students across the state to demand justice.
“We will not allow the voices of students to be silenced by violence and intimidation. If this matter is not resolved, we will be left with no choice but to take decisive action to ensure that justice prevails and the dignity of students is upheld. “
Adeniyan continued: ”Two gates lead to the university campus but one has been closed since because of incessant vehicular accidents by that gate, so the governor went through the only gate opened for use. But before his convoy got there, some students were protesting and they also blocked the only available entrance. While the security details were looking for ways to resolve the issue, some people were charging towards the governor and his team. It was in that process that they fired tear gas canisters.
“Nobody was shot at. Also no life bullet was shot. It was the governor who went to the campus unannounced few days ago and told the management and students that the roads on the campus would be reconstructed. Those saying that the security men were just shooting at students are only fabricating what did not happen,” he said.
(Vanguard)
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