After THE NEWS DIGEST report, NANS take action on killing of Nigerian students
NEWS DIGEST – A day after The News Digest published a special report on the deafening silence of National Association of Nigerian Students leadership following the gruesome killings of two Nigerian students, the President of the national body, Bamidele Danielson Akpan, has paid a visit to the University of Benin.
This was noted through the official Twitter handle of the Association @NANSNIG.
The tweet revealed that Mr Bamidele has met with the leadership of the SUG of the University of Benin, led by Comrade Benjamin Egwu.
According to the tweet, he was briefed by the Student Union Government President on the tragic murder of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa.
He also had a meeting with the Edo State Police Commissioner and Director of DSS.
“The meeting with both the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Department of State Services (DSS) has been concluded. The NANS President will lead a peaceful protest in Benin city while observing social distancing guidelines to demand justice for the slain student. #JusticeForUwa”, the tweet reads.
The Global President of NANS, @nanspresident01,has met with the leadership of the SUG of the University of Benin, led by Comr. Benjamin Egwu. He was briefed by the SUG President on the tragic murder of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa. He will meet the CP of Edo state shortly.#JusticeForUwa pic.twitter.com/5weWXQSlXn
— NANS (@NANSNIG) June 3, 2020
STORY BACKGROUND
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It will be recalled that the NEWS DIGEST reported outrage by Nigerians over the refusal of the National Association of Nigerian Students to take any action or issue a statement after two Nigerian students were murdered, one by a stray bullet of the Nigerian police personnel and another after being raped in a church in Benin state. Tina was killed by stray bullet while Uwa was killed after an unfortunate Rape incident.
A students’ activist and public affairs commentator, Adeyeye Olorunfemi, while speaking with The News Digest had said the NANS silence was not surprising, saying that past actions of the student body had shown that they are not representing the Nigerian students.
According to him, “I think most times, we mistake NANS for NANS leadership. So to say NANS has not been saying anything might be erroneous because Nigeria Students have been speaking.
“Even this morning there was a protest against the rape of Uwa by students and tomorrow, Obafemi Awolowo University students will be holding a protest. So NANS leadership is what we should challenge or attack in cases like these. They are not lawfully constituted, the leadership is made up of people who are not student,” Mr Olorunfemi added.
Also speaking, Sanyaolu Juwon, the National Coordinator of the Student’s wing of the Take It Back movement said NANS leadership are evidently not pursuing the interest of the Nigerian students.
He, therefore, urged the students to “either take charge of their unions or form their own NANS”.
Another public affairs analyst, Samuel Asimi, said:”Just like when Rinji Bala was murdered by soldiers in Jos, we won’t see @NANSNIG demand #JusticeForUwa.
“If it is time to play politics or chase themselves with weapons at convention grounds in the name of “struggle”, they will appear.
“Association of 40 million students indeed! They can mobilize against school feeding program, attend conventions of political parties and promise 20 million votes left, right and center.
“When it is time to stand by students who are being murdered or assaulted, we fail to see the same energy from @NANSNIG.”
It remains unclear what the intervention of the student body will lead to.
Already, the Nigerian Police has announced the arrest of a suspect in the rape case. It was also revealed that the case will be transferred to the force headquarter in Abuja.
