NANS Fumes over Brutalisation of Innocent Students by Operatives of ‘Operation Burst in Oyo’ (Photos)

The leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, South West Zone, has condemned the brutalisation of armless and innocent students under the aegis of National Association of Oyo Students (NAOS) National body in Oyo town by some operatives of ‘Operation Burst’ in Oyo.

NANS expressed its utmost displeasure over the unprofessional conduct of the officers in a statement made available to Vreporters by its Public Relations Officer, Kazeem Olalekan Israel, on Sunday.

The students’ body called on the Governor of the state, Engr. Seyi Makinde to take punitive measures against erring officers and also demands the formation of an independent panel of enquiry to probe the occurrence and other cases of brutalization of innocent citizens by security agents in the state .

The statement reads in part;

“We find it most ridiculous to be informed of the unprofessional conduct of some of the operatives of the Oyo State Joint Security Task Force code-named Operation Burst who, yesterday, 26th of December, 2020 stormed the venue of the transition process of students.

“It is most ridiculous that, without any provocation, and, despite the fact that, even if there were any provocation, there are ways in which such provocation could have been put under control in accordance to the stipulations of the rule of law without necessarily violating the fundamental right to dignity of human persons as stated in Section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). It need be properly put on record that, Operation Burst itself is a creation of the law, and, it is expected of them to act in strict adherence to the rule of law without trampling on the rights of citizens that they are meant to protect.

“We need not to over-stress the fact that the operatives of Operation Burst has nothing to do with electoral process most especially that of students. But, rather than perform the duty of maintaining law and order in Oyo town that they have been posted, some of the operatives of Operation Burst which is gradually becoming a law unto itself decided to invade the venue of an electoral process of students which had in attendance some Police officers that have been posted there from the Atiba Division of the Nigeria Police Force to maintain law and order as students casts their votes.”

NANS recalled how its raised a serious security concern five days ago, after some operatives of Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun) allegedly murdered a student in same Oyo town.

NANS urged the Governor to look into the activities of the operatives of Amotekun and to also setup a judicial panel to probe the murder of the student in bringing the killers to justice in other to serve as deterrence to others.

It added that, “as if the concern raised is not enough, some operatives of Operation Burst invaded the election venue and constituted an attempt to murder, assault and an act that occasioned bodily harm on one Ogbeni Olalekan, Excellent, a student of University of Ilorin while he was having a dialogue with another member of the electoral committee who is also a student of the University of Ilorin, Maryam Olabisi Salahudeen.

“As an association, we condemn this act in totality while prevailing on the Governor to, immediately constitute a panel that will investigate the immediate and remote cause(s) of the assault, attempt to murder and an act that occasioned bodily harm which is a gross violation of the fundamental right to dignity of human persons of Ogbeni Olalekan Excellent. We also demand that the hospital bills of the victim of assault be paid by the State Government and that the public be briefed of the action taken on the operatives that subjected our member to bodily harm.

“An injury to one is an injury to all and a threat to justice anywhere is an injustice everywhere!”

Below is the pictures of brutality by some operatives of Operation Burst in Oyo against some students under the aegis of National Association of Oyo Students as shared by a Twitter user, @omoiyakunmi1