The group of students asserted that the country is no longer safe for its citizens in any part, thus urging the President to overhaul the whole security architecture of Nigeria.
The Joint Campus Committee of the South West National Association of Nigerian Students has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on insecurity to curb the killings in the country.
NANS registered its displeasure that Buhari, with his experience as a former military Head of State has performed below expectations in dealing with the insecurity.
The group of students asserted that the country is no longer safe for its citizens in any part, thus urging the President to overhaul the whole security architecture of Nigeria.
This was contained in a press release made available to the SaharaReporters on Monday, and signed by Comrade Damilola Kehinde, Chairman, NANS JCC Ogun; Comrade Akinteye Babatunde, Chairman, NANS JCC Oyo; and Comrade Opakunle Mayowa, Chairman, NANS JCC Ondo.
“It is with great pleasure we welcome you all to this all important press briefing by the leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students NANS, Joint Campus Committee (JCC) South West Zone on the on mindless killings going on unabatedly in the SouthWest and the increasing rate of security challenges across Nigeria ranging from attacks by bandits and herdsmen, kidnapping for ransom most especially students, attacks on security formations and killing of security men, and assassinations.
“The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Joint Campus Committee (JCC) in South West Zone wishes to use this medium to express our displeasure on the unabated and increasing rate of security challenges and a series of attacks across the country and it hereby calls on President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR to as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency on our national security situation.
“It is ridiculous, disheartening and disappointing that President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief security officer of Nigeria and as a retired Army General who has also served this country as a head of state cannot handle and tackle the myriads of security challenges currently plaguing the country.
“We made bold to say that Mr. President has failed in his responsibility to protect the lives and property of Nigerians. In this regard, we call on the President to do the needful so as to secure Nigerians and our property as our right to live is a fundamental one as enshrine in Nigeria constitution.
"If the serving service chiefs and other heads of all the nation's security and intelligence agencies cannot handle the situation then Mr. President should do needful by sacking them and replacing them with more active heads who have the solutions to the problems.
“Mr. President should also rejig and overhaul the entire security architecture of the country to bring about the desired changes Nigerians are clamouring for.
“Our co-compatriot in the fourth estate of the realm, we are no more safe as Nigerians because the rate of attacks where many innocent souls are wasted on a daily basis across the country really calls for concern of all Nigerians. Most worrisome is the incidences of kidnapping, most especially students in their hundreds and our government will be comfortable negotiating with criminals for ransom to free the victims.
“The Federal government of Nigeria has failed Nigerians in all ramifications; today we cannot travel from one state or the other without the fear of attack or kidnap by the dreaded herdsmen or bandits or unknown gunmen. What is wrong with the intelligence community? What is the duty of our security agencies whose constitutional duty is to protect Nigeria against internal and external aggression? How did we get to this point? Mr. President, save Nigerians from further attack now!!!” the statement partly read.
The students also stated their support for the prohibition of open grazing across the Southern states of Nigeria. They reiterated that the decision will curb insecurity crises in the region.
“As students leaders of South West extraction we are fully in support of the ban placed on open grazing by extension the 17 Southern Governors and consented to by the southwest governors as the activities of the Fulani herdsmen ranging from kidnapping, raping, robbery, maiming and harassing of farmers and even at-times using the herds to destroy farms.
“In this century open grazing is not more acceptable and the activities of the herdsmen are constituting security threat and causing untold crisis between them and farmers mostly leading to loss of lives and properties.
“Finally, we are also mindful that this position of the 17 Southern Governors is in the best interest of all parties concerned. We, therefore, recommend that the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and state governments cooperate fully with each other to ratify the necessary measures to promote more effective and contemporary method of cattle-rearing which is ranching so that both farmers and herders can pursue their livelihoods with greater productivity and in a more cooperative relationship that minimizes the hostility between the farmers and herders.
“Thank you all for your time,” the statement added.