THISDAY

Gunmen Kidnap 2, Shoot 3 in FCT

- Chuks Okocha ËØÎ Olawale Ajimotokan ÓØ ÌßÔË

A five-man gang yesterday kidnapped a man and his brother-in-law at Gbazango Extension, Kubwa in Bwari Area Council, Abuja. The armed men also shot three vigilante members, who attempted to foil the operation.

An eyewitness said that the police at Byazhin Station responded late to distress calls as they only arrived at the scene after the kidnappers had abducted their victims. He disclosed that the gunmen sporadical­ly fired several shots to deter the residents before gaining access to the victim’s house.

He also narrated that three members of the vigilante group only barely escaped death as they were shot by the assailants.

“The kidnappers shot three of them and also took away Peter and his brother-in-law. They also went away with two phones. We have been calling Peter’s line but he cannot be reached,” he said.

It was gathered that police officers from Kubwa Division have visited the crime scene and spoken with the residents of the area and the community associatio­n members on the incident.

As the gale of students’ abduction by gunmen spread across the Northern part of the country, the NationalAs­sociation of Nigerian Students(NANS),NANS/JCC, Ekiti chapter, has revealed its readiness to partner security agencies in Ekiti State to ensure safety of students in all the campuses in the state.

The new Chairman of NANS in theaxis,Com.FelixOlanr­ewaju, said he had met with the Commission­er ofPolice,Mr.BabatundeM­obayoand other security outfits like Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigerian

Securityan­dCivilDefe­nce Corps (NSCDC) on the need to ensure safety of students.

He also promised that no students would be allowed to be tormented , harassed sexually, intimidate­d and rusticated unjustly under his leadership, in any of the campuses in Ekiti.

Olanrewaju, at the maiden press conference after his emergence as NANS’ leader in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, lamented the rate of Kidnapping­s and killings across campuses, saying security must be on alert to avert such nefarious crime in Ekiti.

“We expect the state and federal government­s to focus more attention on this insecurity like they are doing for COVID-19, because insecurity is tormenting our country more than COVID-19 pandemic.”

Olanrewaju said his leadership would tackle cases of sexual harassment­s, arbitrary suspension and rusticatio­n of students that were now rampant on Ekiti campuses.

“We have observed that it is now rampant on our campuses to have students suspended or rusticated using draconian and anti-retrogress­ive rules of the school Management. We have had cases of unjust expulsion because they stood their grounds. We won’t support any management that is not readytopro­tect the rights of our members.

“Every in justice, whether politicall­y motivated or academical­ly orchestra ted, sexually induced or whichever form it appears wouldn’t be tolerated.”

Ol an rewajuadde­dt ha this mission as NANS’ Leader, was to defend students’ democratic rights, encourage entreprene­urship, promote accountabi­lity and students’ welfare through his well-articulate­d ‘SAVERS Agenda’, upon which he was elected.

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