The Zone D Coordinator of the association described the jailed official as an ally of the outgoing NANS President.
The National Association of Nigerian Students, Zone D South-West has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to commenced investigation of the outgoing president of the union, Sunday Asefon, over alleged maladministration.
The Coordinator of Zone D, Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji, disclosed this in a statement while reacting to while reacting to the conviction and sentencing of the Director of Logistics of NANS, Adeyemi Abiodun, to one-year imprisonment for internet-related fraud.
The Oyo State High Court in Ibadan had on Wednesday sentenced Abiodun to jail.
He was among 40 persons jailed by four judges of Oyo State High Court on related charge.
The EFCC had said Abiodun, a 200-level student of Economics and Development Studies of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, was arrested on 30 March, 2022, alongside 79 others in a sting operation by the operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the agency at Sango area of Ibadan, Oyo State for alleged internet fraud.
It said its investigations revealed that, between July 2021 and March 2022, Abiodun benefited from a N195, 274, 331 heist from cyber-fraud involving forgery of over 25 US banks cheques.
The commission then charged him and Odaise Precious Abiola (aka Prezzy), who was said to be at large with conspiracy to forge various United States of America Banks cheques and purport same to be genuine on or about 30 March, 2022 in Ibadan.
The alleged offence of conspiracy to commit forgery is contrary to Section 516 and 467 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
He and the others pleaded “guilty” to the charges filed against them by the EFCC.
However, the Zone D Coordinator of the association described the jailed official as an ally of the outgoing NANS President.
He therefore urged the EFCC to extend its tentacle of investigation to Asefon as “he himself have been previously accused of financial misappropriation and proven affiliation to criminals.”
The statement read, “As an ideologically rooted organisation, NANS South West under the leadership of Comrade Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji TEE-JAY have always been at the forefront of campaigns against crime and corruption. It is therefore saddening to hear that one Adeyemi Israel Abiodun, a convicted criminal is hiding under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Students to perprete his unlawful activities.
“As the Southwest leadership of NANS, we emphatically affirm that Adeyemi Israel Abiodun who was convicted in a case bordering on impersonation, obtaining money under false pretence, obtaining property by false pretence is neither a student, nor a Students leader and is not in any way affiliated to the National Association of Nigerian Students.
“However, it must be noted that Adeyemi Israel is an affiliate of Sunday Adedayo Asefon, the outgoing National President of NANS. We therefore invite the Economic and Financial Crime Commission to extend their tentacle of Investigation to Sunday Adedayo Asefon as he himself have been previously accused of financial misappropriation and proven affiliation to criminals.
“We believe this will further help us to flush out the presence of unscrupulous elements who may want to take advantage of the integrity of our dear organisation to carry out their atrocious trade.
“As it's well known that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance, the leadership of NANS SOUTHWEST from time immemorial and recently, have continued to display zero tolerance against unlawful activities and have embarked on various activities in this regard.
“It is imperative that EFCC and other agencies carry out due diligence before publication. This embarrassment could have been avoided if the state or Zonal leadership of NANS was consulted.
“Finally, we therefore urge all Nigerian students to eschew crime in totality even as we continue to demand that Federal Government accede to the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and bring end to the lingering strike.”