Suspected political thugs attack students leaders in Osun, destroy properties

There was tension on Tuesday evening as suspected political thugs attacked Students leaders of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Osun axis.

It was gathered that the student’s leaders were attacked during a visit by the leadership of NANS Osun in protest of the fee hike at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. 

Speaking on the incident in a statement signed by the chairman of NANS Osun, Ogungbe Taiwo, General Secretary, Afolabi Faruq and PRO, Adedapo Emmanuel alleged that thugs are government affiliated with the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, who are officials of the Osun Transport System Management (OTSM).

"During a solidarity visit by the leadership of NANS JCC Osun Axis in protest of the fee hike at OAU, the OSUN Transport System Management (OTSM) formally known as NURTW officers claiming to be affiliated with the Osun State deputy governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, attacked unarmed students using various weapons such as guns, cutlasses, and machetes.

"These individuals, who identified themselves as government-affiliated thugs, showed a phone call from the deputy governor to confirm their association. They accused the leadership of NANS JCC Osun Axis of being aligned with a political party and claimed that the deputy governor had instructed them to kill anyone not in support of him. They even boasted about past killings they had carried out.

"As intellectuals, we engaged them in dialogue, explaining that we are not members of any political party but a student association committed to protecting the interests of students. Our presence in Ife was solely to peacefully protest the hike in school fees.

"However, before we conclude our explanation, the deputy governor's thugs attacked our Chief Protocol Officer (CPO), Chief Security Officer (CSO), and Assistant General Secretary (AGS). As of now, the CPO is in the hospital with injuries to his eyes, while others were brutally beaten.

"Furthermore, three phones (iPhone 12 pro max, iPhone XS Max were stolen and 10C redime phone's screen was damaged, the thugs vandalized the bus by breaking its glass and destroying other items.

"We call upon the general public to question the deputy governor about when NANS became the opposition to the state government, or when our bus became the opposition's bus to justify such brutality against students.

"The leadership of NANS JCC Osun State Axis demands an immediate response from the deputy governor. We also request a meeting between NANS JCC Osun State leadership and the deputy governor to address this alarming situation. Additionally, we expect the chairman of Ilesa Garage Park in Ife to compensate the students for the damages caused to us.

"We hereby give the deputy governor a 48-hour ultimatum to respond. Failure to do so will result in a massive protest at the Government House and a complete shutdown of all roads in Osogbo.