Nigerian students association enlists islamic Cleric, Sheikh Gumi to engage bandits, stop students' abduction

The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Sunday Asefon, has shown concern over the continuous closure of schools in the northern part of the country, especially Kaduna State, amid the insecurity most especially the kidnapping activities of bandits.

Asefon, again, called on the Nigerian Government to declare those who are kidnapping students as terrorists, saying, “Anyone with the propensity to kidnap and kill students in large numbers should be declared as terrorists to any nation.”

He stated this while having a chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti. He disclosed that the students’ body’ had met with controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi on the worrisome situation of kidnap and killing of students and impressed on the Islamic scholar to warn bandits to stay off schools, Punch reports.

Asefon also revealed that NANS had resolved its factional crisis, and that the Abdumajid Oyeniyi splinter group had reunited with the main body and affirmed loyalty to the Asefon-led national body in the interest of the over 41 million Nigeria students.

Asefon said, “Governments should beef up security in schools. It is our belief that students should be going to schools with the assurance that they will be secured.

“We (NANS) have called on the Federal Government to declare the bandits abducting students in the Northwest and North Central as terrorists, but this has not been done.

“We have met with different stakeholders. We have been to Kaduna and several states in the Northwest and North Central to plead that they should provide security. Though the security formations are trying, their best has failed us. They need to be more proactive. We want our youths to have access to education. Most of the schools are under lock and key as we speak. What is the future of this country?

“We met with Sheikh Ahmed Gumi to help us appeal to them (bandits) to stay away from schools. Most of the schools are populated by the children of the poor. They should just leave our students alone and let them pursue their future,” Asefon said.

Meanwhile, Oyeniyi said he decided to embrace the Asefon-led executive in the interest of Nigerian students.

He said, “We believe that it is in the oneness that we can get better. It is our task to promote the unity and welfare of the Nigerian students”.