- * Management and Nigerian police should
provide adequate security for the students now
ü * Students should start mobilizing for a campaign
against insecurity now
ü * Staff unions should not wait until they start to
become victims as well
ü
The
attention of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Ondo State Chapter, has been
drawn towards the series of mishap happening within the premises of Adeyemi
College of Education campus and its environs. According to the circular
released from the office of the Dean, Divisions of Students’ Affairs, on the 6th
of September, 2017, 3 female students of the college got missing within the
span of 35 days (July 28 – Sept 1). Also, reports from the students have
indicated that series of theft and armed robbery have become rampant on the
campus since the inception into the 2016/2017 session in October 2016.
We
hereby call on the school management to embark on an effective security
measures in order to curb these issues before it gets out of hand.
According
to the Dean, Mr. O.O. Olaluwoye, one Miss Oladepo Blessing Oluwaferanmi, of the
department of BIO/CHEM (NCE combination), was declared missing on the 28 of
July, 2017. On the 4th of August, another student, Miss
Oloruntimilehin Semilore Mary, of the department of Agricultural Science, was
also declared missing. As if this is not enough, another case of a missing female
student. Miss Olaniyan Mary Oluwaseun, a Degree 1 student of the department of
History, was reported missing on the 1st day of September, 2017.
Before
the most recent case, the students thought the issue of insecurity was over
when the Men of the police reportedly arrested 2 suspects who allegedly used
one of the missing girls for ritual. As reported by the Sahara Reporters on the
27th of August, 2017, the decomposed body of one of the missing
Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo girls was found in the ritualists den with
one or more of her body parts missing. Up till now, the body (dead or alive) of
the second student has not been found. The latest development was the
disappearance of another student of the foremost teachers’ training college in
Nigeria.
As
frequently reported by the friends of the victims, these ladies were kidnapped
on their way to their Boyfriends’ houses. As if this is the solution, female students
are now being severally warned to restrict their visit and movement to their
Boyfriends’ houses. We argue that this is not the solution to the problem. The
management and Men of the police should find a long-lasting solution to the
lingering insecurity issue. We have seen cases in the same college whereby
armed men break into houses, steal valuable properties, injure male students,
and rape ladies. Perhaps, students should restrain from sleeping in their
rented apartments off-campus at nights?
Even
the school premises are not secure. There have been several cases of theft and
robbery reported in the school premises. Some hostels, like the Café female
hostel, have witnessed several cases of theft in the recent days. Even a HOD’s
office was burgled while the students had to pay for the loss. All these are
indication of a complete insecurity of lives and properties in the
Federal-owned College.
This
issue of insecurity started months ago and the members of ERC have raised
awareness on the need for adequate security measures. For us in ERC, we believe
the college management should be able to provide adequate security for their
students within and outside the college. Students live outside the campus due
to the inadequate hostel facilities within the college premises. Hence,
students living off-campus are eligible to all security measures enforced
within the school premises. More so, we call on the Nigerian Police to deploy
adequate security to the vicinity of the college in order to curb the high rate
of kidnapping, theft, and armed robbery.
The
students of the college should commence an immediate plan of action to demand
adequate securities for their lives and properties. One of the reasons for the
existence of a Students’ Union is to discuss the issues that concern the
students with a view to finding solutions to them. Sadly, a union without a
well-attended congress of students is very far from finding solutions to issues
like insecurity. Hence, we call on students to start raising the demand for a
mass campaign against insecurity. Truly, those who are affected will know the
essence of adequate security.
What
goes around will definitely come around. Staff unions should not wait until they
become victim of insecurity. In as much as a HOD’s office can be burgled, the
remaining members of the staff of the college are not safe. We therefore call
on the NASU, SSANU, and COEASU of the college to mobilize themselves in order
to find a lasting solution to the case of insecurity in the college. Some
members of the staff have children who are also students of the college. Hence,
a prompt intervention of the staff unions is highly essential.
Nevertheless,
we have seen cases where the Men of the Police are completely clueless and
rendered inactive. More so, this issue of insecurity is not only the topic of
the day in institutions like ACE ONDO. It can be recalled that students of
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) went on a protest on
August 16, 2016, to demand adequate security of their lives and properties.
Hence, students’ and staff need to take the struggle for adequate security
beyond the four walls of the school. Insecurity is one of the numerous
shortcomings of the inequitable capitalist system and the Buhari/APC-led
government as evident in daily reports; take Evans as an example.
This
is why we members of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) are calling for a
genuine mass workers political alternative that will wrest political power from
the few millionaire looters and establish a workers and poor people’s government
anchored on socialist policies. It is until the commanding heights of the
Nigerian economy are placed under the democratic control and management of the
working people that the social conditions of inequality and mass poverty that
creates the problem of insecurity can be totally eradicated.
Owoyomi Damilola Owot
Ondo State ERC Coordinator
07065184322
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