Nigerian Students Association Declares June 12 As National Day Of Protests

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.