June 11 and 12 should be used to remember students who died in the hands of kidnappers, those who lost their life during endsars protest at Lekki toll gate and those still being held hostage.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has
declared June 12 as “national day of protests”.
June 12, known as Democracy Day, is used annually to celebrate democracy in Nigeria.
President of NANS, Mr. Sunday Asefon, in Ado Ekiti on
Tuesday said it was not the time to celebrate as he lamented that about 200
Islamic students recently kidnapped in Niger State were still missing.
He also lamented the general state of insecurity in the
country, including kidnapping and banditry in the North.
According to him, June 11 and 12 should be used to
remember students who died in the hands of kidnappers and those still being
held hostage.
He said: “Putting it in the right perspective, the
government and security apparatuses have failed us. We can no longer trust
them.
“The government must convene a national dialogue where
people can come with different ideas and proffer solutions to this insecurity
issue.
“We are daunted by the endless news of kidnapping of
students in their hundreds within the last two years. This development is not
only unacceptable; it challenges the very fabrics of our national development,
unity, cohesion and portends grave danger to our educational institutions.
“NANS under my leadership, having considered the
continuous threats to the lives of our students and the lukewarm pace of
security apparatuses to these nefarious crimes, regrettably call on government
to order immediate and temporary closure of all schools in the North-west and
North-central until adequate security is put in place.”
He said though it was regrettable that NANS, as a students' body was calling for the temporary closure of schools, he described the call as a practical way to protect vulnerable children till security improves.
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