Federal University Lafia students took to the streets in protest following the abduction of an undisclosed number of students by unknown gunmen from an off-campus lodge in Gandu, Nassarawa state.
The students were reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday, prompting an outpouring of outrage and concern from the student body.
According to Daily Post, Protesters, bearing placards with messages such as ‘Student Lives Matter’ and ‘A cry for one is a cry for all,’ demanded the immediate and unconditional release of their kidnapped peers.
The students expressed frustration with the prevailing insecurity, calling for an end to the threats to their safety in the university environment.
Josephine, one of the protesters, voiced her concerns, saying, “This thing is getting worse every day. Who knows if they will start entering the school hostels to kidnap students? The so-called Governor knows about it but he kept mute and did nothing because we’re not his children or family members. We need our kidnapped students back.”
Another student, Osanga Jacob, accused the Nigerian Police of complicity in the crime for disrupting their peaceful protest. He stated, “If the men of the Nigeria Police can come and start brutalizing us during a peaceful protest, it shows they are greatly involved in these kidnapping cases.”
The protesters alleged that the state government has been indifferent to their plight and criticized the lack of tangible action despite the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman, inviting the governor to address the situation.
In response, officers of the Nigeria Police were deployed to the university to restore law and order and address the concerns of the students and staff.
The Gandu community, close to FULafia’s permanent site, is home to hundreds of students and staff members.
