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…decorates CP as ambassador
The National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS) has urged the Ogun State Police Command to intensify security operations around tertiary institutions in the state to curb rising cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and other crimes affecting students.
The call was made on Thursday when the Secretary General of NANS National Headquarters, Comrade Oladimeji Uthman, led a delegation of student leaders on a strategic engagement with the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni.
The meeting focused on armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, drug abuse, police harassment, assault, vandalism and other social vices affecting students across the state.
Uthman said the engagement became necessary following recurring attacks reported in and around tertiary institutions including Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Ijebu Ode; Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye; D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori; Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade; Federal Polytechnic Ilaro; Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo; and Federal College of Education, Abeokuta.
He cited the recent kidnapping of students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, as further proof of the urgent need for stronger and more coordinated security measures around campuses.
“NANS therefore charges the Commissioner of Police to intensify security operations around tertiary institutions and strengthen intelligence-led policing, surveillance, rapid response mechanisms and community engagement,” Uthman said.
The student leaders also called for the resuscitation of the Police-Students Relations Forum (PSRF) which existed in the state some years ago.
They said the forum would provide a structured platform for regular engagement, information sharing and timely communication between police heads and student leaders, to enable early warning on threats and direct dissemination of security advisories to students.
NANS, however, commended CP Ojajuni and other security agencies for their swift intervention in the Gateway ICT Polytechnic kidnapping, which led to the safe rescue of the abducted students.
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The association stressed that such proactive measures must be sustained to prevent a recurrence.
The meeting also addressed drug and substance abuse, cultism, prostitution, sexual harassment, theft, gambling and other vices undermining students’ academic development.
Both parties agreed that tackling the challenges would require enforcement, as well as sensitization, counseling, mentorship and collaboration among institutions, students and security agencies.
In his response, CP Ojajuni expressed appreciation for the visit and described the student leaders as “genuine and responsible.”
He reaffirmed the command’s readiness to work closely with NANS in addressing security concerns in tertiary institutions and welcomed improved communication between the police and student leadership.
As a highpoint of the visit, Uthman presented souvenirs to the CP and formally decorated him as a “National Ambassador Against Social Vices” in recognition of his commitment to students’ safety and strengthening police-student relations.
NANS, under the leadership of Comrade Babatunde Akinteye, said it remains committed to agitating for the protection of lives and property of Nigerian students.
The association urged students to remain vigilant, avoid risky activities, and promptly report suspicious movements to authorities.
“The safety of our students is a collective responsibility, and NANS will continue to engage relevant authorities constructively until safer and more secure learning environments are guaranteed across all tertiary institutions in the Gateway State,” the statement added.
