Students threaten statewide protest over rising insecurity in Ogun campuses

The National Association of Nigerian Students has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Ogun State Government and security agencies to secure the release of five abducted students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, arrest the killers of a female student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, and address the rising wave of insecurity across tertiary institutions in the state.

The association warned that it would embark on peaceful mass protests across the state if its demands were not met within the next 72 hours.

The association also urged the state government to send a high-powered delegation to condole with the family of Ahmed Sekinat, the student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic who was killed during a recent robbery attack, and visit another student currently receiving treatment for gunshot injuries at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.

Speaking during a press conference held at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, Abeokuta, on Wednesday, the Secretary-General of NANS, Comrade Oladimeji Uthman, popularly known as “Dan Fodio,” said students across Ogun tertiary institutions have continued to live in fear due to persistent cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence, rape, and other criminal activities.

Also present at the briefing were Akinpelu Timothy, President of the Students’ Union Government of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade; his counterpart from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Kehinde Bamgbose; as well as Okunuga Opeyemi of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, among other student leaders.

Uthman said, “The recent abduction of five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, the killing of a female student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, and repeated armed robbery attacks around Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Ijebu-Ode; Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye; Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro; and Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo, underscore the worsening security situation in the state.

“For far too long, students have continued to live in fear. The safety of lives and property on and around our campuses has been grossly threatened by armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, cult-related violence, and other criminal activities. Students can no longer move freely, attend lectures, or return to their hostels without fear of attack.”

Uthman also lamented that previous efforts by the association to engage security agencies in Ogun State through strategic meetings had failed, claiming that the agencies did not honour invitations extended by the students’ body.

“It is deeply regrettable that despite the growing insecurity across off-campus hostels in our tertiary institutions, the National Association of Nigerian Students wrote to all heads of security agencies in the state requesting a strategic meeting to discuss practical and lasting solutions.

“Regrettably, these requests were not honoured. This refusal to engage with the legitimate representatives of Nigerian students has frustrated genuine efforts aimed at finding collaborative solutions while students continue to suffer armed robbery attacks, kidnappings, violent assaults, and loss of lives,” he said.

Uthman commended the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and Governor Dapo Abiodun for the recent deployment of an operational police aircraft to support security operations in Ogun State, saying that such moves would no doubt help to strengthen aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering, and rapid response efforts in the ongoing operation to rescue the abducted students.

The students’ body, however, insisted that the government and security agencies must do more to safeguard students.

He said, “Consequently, NANS issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Ogun State Government, the Ogun State Police Command, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other relevant security agencies to rescue the abducted students, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the murder of the D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic student, and bring all perpetrators of violent attacks against students to justice.

“Failure to meet these demands within the stipulated 72 hours will leave the national students’ body with no option but to commence sustained peaceful mass actions and statewide protests until justice is served and adequate security is guaranteed for every student in Ogun State.”

To curb this challenge of insecurity, NANS called for increased security patrols around campuses, the establishment of permanent security posts in vulnerable student communities, deployment of the Ogun State Anti-Violent Crime Team to tertiary institutions, improved collaboration among school authorities, host communities, and security agencies, and the establishment of an Ogun Security Agencies–Student Leaders Relations Forum.

Uthman described the planned protest as peaceful and lawful, calling on students’ unions, labour organisations, civil society groups, and other stakeholders to support the campaign against insecurity in tertiary institutions.

It would be recalled that waves of insecurity have recently hit some of the tertiary institutions in the state.

An HND II marketing student of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Abeokuta, was reportedly shot dead by armed robbers during a robbery attack at Eruku community on July 27, while another student escaped with gunshot injuries and is said to still be receiving medical care at FMC, Abeokuta.

Last Thursday, the Students’ Union of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, in Remo North Local Government Area of the state also disclosed the abduction of five students of the state-owned polytechnic from a private hostel in Ipara Remo.

The spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said in a statement that the command was aware of the incident, which occurred late on Wednesday night, July 29, 2026, and that it had since activated all its tactical units to ensure the safe rescue of the victims. (Punch)