Youths, Students Protest Against NSCDC Over Alleged Abuse Of Corps For Political Violence In Osun

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

The Osun Youths Progressive Alternatives, National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) and National Association of Nigeria Students/Joint Campus Committee, (Osun Axis) on Tuesday protested at the the State Command of NSCDC in Osogbo against alleged abuse of the corps for political violence.

The youth and students body described the violence as unacceptable and disturbing the recent conduct of the corps in Osogbo particularly the alleged sporadic gun short by the officers during a road show by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

In a letter of protest addressed to the Commander General of the Civil Defence Corps, Dr Hammed Abubakar, by the youth and student organizations expressed concern over the recent conduct of the men and officers of the corps as being grossly abuse as a political tool in the state which is putting the state at huge security risk.

The letter was signed by NAOSS President, Comrade Agboola Yusuf, State Cordinator Progressive Youth Alternative, Comrade Sanusi Wasiu and Osun NANS/JCC Chairman, Comrade Oyelayo Azees.

According to the letter, ‘’ it is regrettable that the officers and the men of the corps that is known for decency, discipline and patriotism has been turned to political tormentors in the state and we have no choice than to cry to your good office before the people of the state began to lose their lives in the hand of NSDC tactical force in Osun ‘’

‘’It is understandable, that NSCDC is under the supervision and control of Federal Ministry of Interior being superintended by the former Governor Rauf Aregbesola who appeared to be running a political battle in Osun but we strongly believe that NSCDC as a security outfit must be completely excused as a willing tools to destabilize the state. ‘’

‘’For your information, we have not had it so terribly in recent time with this level of abuse and the involvement of your officers in political violent has extremely complicated the political tension in the state’’.

‘’We have noted the abuse of the NSCDC men and officers in recent political outings of the former Minister in the state where several records of attack and gun dwell had occurred spearheaded by the NSCDC officers but it reached its peak yesterday February 14, 2022 when the entire state capital were thrown into panic by the wooded NSCDC officers who were shooting sporadically at the popular Orisunmibare Market in Osogbo.

‘’The dangerous dimension is that most of those personnel has no identity and they always cover their faces which call to question if they are genuine NSCDC officers or clothed political thugs.’’

‘’The Osun police command preliminary report confirmed several empty magazines of assorted riffles; this is condemnable and unacceptable to us as stakeholders in Osun project and we cannot continue to folds our arms until the situation is degenerated beyond this level, hence, we call for the intervention of the National Headquarter of NSCDC to safe our soul. ‘’

The youths said they decided to escalate the matter to the Commander General office because information has it that most of the personnel are also drawn from neighboring states and insisted that if security apparatus with constitutional responsibility of protecting the people are now at the peak of political violence against the citizens, it calls for a serious concern as a state.

They however demand the investigations of NSCDC officers involved in yesterday who allegedly involved in the sporadic shooting in Osogbo and punish them in accordance with relevant laws of NSCDC for public disturbance and treat to public peace.

The State commander, Commander, Emmanuel Ocheja who later addressed the student promised to present the petition to the National Headquarter of the Corps.

Meanwhile, Correspondent of the Nation Newspaper, Toba Adedeji was brutalised by an officer of NSCDC during the protest .