Ogun students kick against threat to life, suspend planned anti-Customs protest
Leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Ogun axis, the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) and the National Association of University Students (NAUS) have cried out over alleged threat to their lives.
The students leaders said the threat came few days after they announced a massive protest to call for the redeployment of the Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command, Peter Kolo.
Recall that the students had last week blamed the NCS over alleged importation of fire arms into Ogun State, saying the Service under Kolo was not doing enough to curb the excesses of smugglers.
They threatened to stage a massive protest if the national headquarters of the NCS failed to redeploy Kolo out of the Gateway State.
But, the command, through its spokesman, Hammed Oloyede, debunked all allegations of arms importation through Ogun borders, advising the students to focus on their studies and cooperate with the NCS in intelligence gathering.
Meanwhile, in a joint press statement made available to journalists in Abeokuta on Tuesday, the Chairman of NANS JCC, Damilola Kehinde; National President of NAOSS, Ogunrombi Gbemileke and the National Vice President of NAUS, Adebowale Abdul-Ghaffar Adeniran, claimed that they were being threatened by some individuals suspected to be smugglers over the protest scheduled for today at Idiroko border.
The students, however, said they have decided to postpone the planned protest after a stakeholders’ meeting.
“We must make it known to the public that there have been threats to the lives of some of our leaders since the protest plan was first made public. This condemnable acts can only be initiated by either the smugglers or their sympathisers.
“These death threats have since been reported to the Department of State Services (DSS) for proper security scrutiny. These criminals of the state should not go unpunished. We call on the Ogun State command of the Nigeria Police as well as other security agencies to urgently come to our rescue and ensure that the enemies of the state are arrested and brought to justice,” they pleaded.
The added that “some enemies of the state have gathered many of the smugglers and other beneficiaries of the illegal arrangement to hijack the protest, maim, molest the Nigerian students and to unleash terror on unsuspecting members of the public.
“In light of the above, we hereby announce the postponement of the protest and extension of the deadline by 14 days.
“This postponement is by no means the end as the Nigerian Students are not cowards and can’t be intimidated. This is to allow us restrategize in conformation with the new development.
“Since the Customs have chosen the dishonourable path, we call on the Governor as the Chief Security Officer of Ogun State to get ready to receive massive casualties.
“On the expiry of the additional 14 days, the Nigerian Students in the Gateway state shall march resolutely against all odds if Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali and the National Headquarters of the Nigerian Customs Service fail to withdraw CC PETER KOLO from Ogun State,” the statement partly reads.
