NANS declares state of emergency after Ogun poly student killed in robbery attack

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has declared a state of emergency in Eruku Community, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, following the killing of a final-year student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic during an overnight armed robbery attack.

 

The deceased, an HND II Marketing student, was reportedly shot dead during the midnight attack, just days before completing her final examinations.

 

Several other students sustained injuries, including a female student whose ear was reportedly severed and a male student receiving treatment for a gunshot wound at the Federal Medical Centre.

 

The incident triggered protests by students of the institution, who blocked the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, disrupting traffic for several hours.

 

The Students’ Union Government President, Owoigbe Blessing, said the attack exposed the poor security situation in the community.

 

“It happened at midnight. One of the final-year students from HND II Marketing got killed, another female student got injured, they cut her ear and another guy that is at FMC at the moment was shot,” Blessing said.

 

She appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to improve security around the institution and its host community.

 

“Please we need the full support of the government, there’s no security. If there was security this wouldn’t happen to this extent. This is not the first or second time or even the third time at Eruku,” she added.

 

Reacting to the incident, NANS Secretary-General, Oladimeji Uthman, described the killing as “heartbreaking and a direct assault on the future of our nation.”

 

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the association declared a state of emergency in Eruku Community and advised students with alternative accommodation to relocate temporarily until adequate security measures are put in place.

 

NANS called on the Ogun State Police Command to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure those responsible are arrested and prosecuted.

 

The student body also urged Governor Abiodun to strengthen security around tertiary institutions through collaboration with security agencies, school authorities, local government councils, traditional institutions and student leaders.

 

“Education should never become a journey of fear or a pathway to death. Every Nigerian student deserves to study, travel to and fro campus and reside within host communities without the constant threat of violence or criminal attacks,” the statement read.

 

NANS further called on tertiary institution administrators to review existing security arrangements and urged the Eleruku of Eruku Community, Oba Kolawole Edunjobi Adifase, and other community leaders to publicly condemn criminality and work closely with law enforcement agencies to improve safety in the area.