NANS, HURIWA demand release of 20 medical students, end to insecurity

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has described as barbaric, heinous and unacceptable, the kidnapping of more than 20 medical students at the Universities of Jos and Maiduguri.

The umbrella body of Nigerian students pointed out that the ugly incident is a stark reminder of the escalating insecurity in the country, even as it called for immediate action by security agencies.

A statement by the NANS President, Lucky Emonefe, yesterday in Abuja, also sympathised with families of the abducted students.

The Guardian reports that over 20 medical students as well as a house officer were on their way to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) yearly convention in Enugu when they were attacked by gunmen at about 5.30 pm in Otukpo, Benue State, last Thursday evening.

Reacting, Emonefe said: “The fact that this incident occurred despite the presence of security personnel along the notorious Otukpo-Otukpa portion of the federal highway is alarming.

“The leadership of NANS finds it pertinent to assure Nigerian students that their welfare and safety are the top priorities of our agenda. We understand that this incident may cause anxiety and fear among our members, but we urge you not to panic. We are working tirelessly to ensure that your welfare does not suffer, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to ensure the freedom of the abducted students.

“We are engaging with relevant authorities to demand immediate action to rescue the abducted students and ensure their safe release. We appeal to the state and federal governments to take concrete steps to address the security challenges facing our nation. The government must demonstrate its commitment to protecting the lives and property of Nigerian citizens, particularly students who are the future leaders of our nation.”

ALSO, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has raised the alarm over the rising kidnappings and killings by gunmen across the federation.

The group expressed concern over the seeming “failure of the security agencies to curb these heinous acts, and strongly condemned the inability of the armed forces to respond effectively to these threats.”

The association also criticised the “glaring absence of decisive leadership from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, in addressing the nation’s deteriorating security situation.”

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA described the “recent wave of kidnappings and killings, which has left communities nationwide in fear and disarray, as a clear indication of a breakdown in law and order.”

It attributed “this failure to the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the nation’s security intelligence apparatus, as well as the gross incompetence of the armed forces in protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.”

“The protection of lives and property is the primary duty of any government, and the failure to fulfill this responsibility reflects the total collapse of governance under President Tinubu’s administration,” the organisation stressed.