NANS Threatens Showdown As 2 Students Protesting Tuition Hike Shot Dead In Kaduna

Two students of the Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have been shot dead.

The deceased met their untimely end while protesting a hike in school fees with their colleagues when security operatives made attempt to disperse them forcefully.

Our correspondent also gathered that the second victim identified as Emmanuel Nathan was rushed to Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital in Kafanchan, but died later from the gunshot wound.

Speaking with Daily Trust, one of the protesters, who preferred anonymity, said they came out to protest over the increase of school fees in the state-owned institution but met security operatives outside the college.

The student said they found it extremely hard to cope with the previous school fees that ranged between N25,000 to N33,000 and wonder what would happen with the present increment to N75,000.

He said most of their parents were disengaged primary teachers, local government/state workers, and peasant farmers who struggled to survive and appealed to Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i to rescind his decision to enable them afford education at that level.

The Secretary-General, Students Union Government (SUG) of the College, Ishaya Yitem, said the protest was organised at a time when the school authorities had been engaging the state government over the issue.

Confirming the incident to our correspondent during a press conference, National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Sunday Asefon, said he gathered that two students were killed during the protest.

Asefon, who said NANS will relocate its national congress to occupy Kaduna to protest tuition increases in the state, called the increments “Insensitive, unreasonable and unrealistic.”

The students’ body gave Kaduna State governor 21 days until the date of its congress to pacify Nigerian students on the increase in school fees.

He said NANS rejected the recent spate of 1000% increment of schools fees and other related fees in state-owned tertiary institutions in Kaduna.

When contacted, the Provost of the College, Professor Alexander Kure, who confirmed the protest, said he was yet to establish reasons for the development.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhammed Jalige, in a press statement, said the students who re-converged and blocked the Gidan Waya – Kafanchan Federal Highway became “unruly and riotous”.

“At a point, the protesters blocked the convoy of a military sector Commander injuring him and one other. The situation resulted in a fracas where three protesters were injured in an attempt to use minimal force to disperse the riotous students. The victims were taken to the hospital for medical attention but unfortunately, one person died while receiving medical attention.”