Yenagoa — The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a stern condemnation of the arrest of a union leader and the subsequent seizure of a union vehicle by the government of Bayelsa State, led by His Excellency, Sen. Douye Diri. The arrest and vehicle seizure are alleged to be in response to perceived disloyalty.
In an open letter addressed to Governor Diri, the leadership of NANS expressed their solidarity with the detained union leader and their concern over the actions taken by some government appointees. The union leader was reportedly detained in connivance with the State CID of the Nigerian Police Force, Bayelsa State Command, following the Bayelsa State Students Summit on June 26, 2023.
The incident has sparked outrage within the Nigerian Students community in the South-South Region, representing over 7.8 million students. The union vehicle in question, branded by the NANS Zonal Leadership, was allegedly seized forcibly by government appointees despite being publicly donated to the union in the presence of media outlets.
In response to these developments, NANS has called for immediate action from the government, including:
- The release of the NANS ZONE B vehicle to aid the union’s activities.
- A caution to government appointees handling students’ related issues to cease using the government’s name to oppress and jeopardize the administration’s efforts within the Nigerian Students community.
- A prompt response from the government regarding these concerns.
Furthermore, NANS has announced its intention to mobilize Nigerian students from various states within the South-South region to participate in an Independent Rescue Action, scheduled to take place in Bayelsa State. The event is set to occur on September 20, 2023, at the Bayelsa State Government House.
Comr Levi Okuru, the Coordinator of NANS ZONE B, issued this statement on behalf of the Nigerian Students community and urged the government to address their concerns urgently.
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The situation has garnered significant attention, with copies of the open letter sent to various authorities, including the Bayelsa State Government, the Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State, the Director of the Department of State Services, Bayelsa State, and the Federal Ministry of Education, among others.
