…as NANS vows to “occupy” Kaduna
A protest against a hike in tuition fee by the College of Education, Gidan Waya in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna, on Monday led to the death of one student, while another was injured.
The death and injury of the students resulted from gunshots fired at the protesting students, according to witnesses. The college is located in Southern Kaduna.
Miffed by the reported shooting of the students, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which groups Nigerian students in higher institutions, has vowed it would occupy Kaduna, should the death of the student be confirmed.
Witnesses have said that security operations who were mobilized to the place from Kafanchan, fired live bullets at the students, who embarked on what they called a “peaceful” protest.
The students were said to have blocked the highway in front of their school and in the process prevented a free flow of traffic, forcing motorists off the road.
Reacting to the incident, the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Sunday Asefon has vowed that if the killing of the student is confirmed, the entire Nigeria students will occupy Kaduna.
He said that NANS would deliberate on the incident at the College while all organs and sister bodies of NANS nationwide have been put on alert to relocate to Kaduna State to further press home their demand from the state government.
“The governor should be ready to kill as many of us as he can through thugs and security and also build enough jail within the 21days that can accommodate thousands of Nigerian students,” he said at a press briefing on Monday in Kaduna.
Asefon rejected “the attempt by the government of Kaduna State, the Kaduna State University, or any other tertiary institutions in the state to force an undertaking on parents and guardians of the varsity students to remain in perpetual silence irrespective of the unfavourable policies of the government.”
“The National congress meeting will hold in Kaduna on 19th July 2021. All organs and sister bodies of NANS nationwide are by this resolution put on alert to relocate to Kaduna State to this important national congress to further ascertain the cooperation and adherence to our demands by the government of Kaduna state,” he said.
“That the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai should consider this window period of 21 days’ notice of national congress as enough window to pacify Nigerian students or be ready to kill as many of us as he can through thugs and security and also build enough jail within the 21days that can accommodate thousands of Nigerian students.”
“While we pray for the prosperity of Kaduna State, we will not be threatened or intimidated to close our eyes to these evil policies and the fragrant display of tyranny against our students and members as injury to one is an injury to all.”
“NANS rejects in totality the recent spate of 1000% increment of schools fees and other related fees in state-owned tertiary institutions in Kaduna State. We consider such increment at this time as insensitive, unreasonable, and unrealistic,” Asefon said.
The students were said to have given Governor El-Rufai 21 days to pacify Nigerian students on the increase in school fees ahead of its National congress slated for July 19, 2021.)
On his part, Prof. Alexander Kure, Provost of the College, said the school was shut down on Sunday and wondered why the students were still demonstrating about the school fee hike. According to him, he was not aware of the protest.
“The incident happened on the highway and not inside the school. I was told by the security that one student was killed and another injured.
“I offered an ambulance to take the corpse to the mortuary, and the other person that got injured to the hospital for treatment.
“The school was shut down yesterday for mid-semester break and students are to resume next Monday.
“I don’t know why they were protesting. The school was closed and we heard there was a protest on the road, and I am not privy to happenings outside the school.”