The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has raise eyebrow over the incessant rate at which Nigerian security officers dehumanize students, restricting their rights as Nigerians.
They allege the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over the arrest of Waziri Umaru, who later died in their custody, and was said to have died of suicide, They demand justice for the late Umaru, adding that they will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to book.
“It is disturbing to read of the death of a student of Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi who died at the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). According to news report, the student was said to have been arrested and detained at the NSCDC facility in the State until his demise which was said to have been a suicide case.
But, as an association, we hold the strong opinion that it was not a case of suicide as being speculated but a case of murder which must have been perpetuated by the NSCDC officers themselves. This is so because, a suspect to be held in the facility of any security outfit is not meant to have access to any harmful object that could inflict injury on them.
We have read of how different crimes have been perpetuated by overzealous officers of the NSCDC, of recent, which was the assault meted on a gospel musician, Olayinka Joel Ayefele in Ekiti State. And, as much as we believe that there should be collaborative efforts from all security outfit, we still hold the view that the student should have been handed over to the NDLEA.
It is based on the foregoing that we demand for an autopsy to be conducted on the corpse while we call for the prosecution of the commandant of the NSCDC in the Zone for negligence.
Giwa Yisa Temitope
National PRO, NANS
