The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to deploy resources to rescue the abducted female students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Benue State.
The NANS National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, made the appeal in a statement, describing the abduction as barbaric and a dent in the country’s security architecture.
The Abduction Incident
The female students of the engineering department were abducted on the university campus while returning from a night reading. The varsity management has since ordered the school’s closure.
Sources within the institution revealed that the armed abductors stormed out of a nearby bush and kidnapped the students. While the university management confirmed that three students were kidnapped, the students claimed that four students were involved in the incident.
NANS’ Reaction
Adeyemi expressed displeasure towards the audacity of the abductors to carry out the act on the university campus. He stated that higher institutions are supposed to be safe and secure for learning, and the right of every student must be protected.
Adeyemi appealed to Egbetokun to immediately deploy resources to rescue the abducted students. He also urged students of the university to remain calm, assuring them that all hands are on deck to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students.
Students’ Protest
Meanwhile, students of the university staged a protest on Wednesday to express their displeasure over the abduction. The students marched within the school premises, carrying placards with the inscription “BringBackOurGirls” and singing solidarity songs.
The abduction incident has raised concerns about the safety and security of students in Nigerian universities. NANS’ call for rescue and the students’ protest highlight the need for urgent action to ensure the safe return of the abducted students.