Standing in solidarity, the Students Representative Council of Obafemi Awolowo University Students’ Union has voiced condemnation against the relentless economic challenges and escalating insecurity sweeping across the nation.
Citing a statement distributed on the Ile-Ife campus and reported by Africa Today News, New York, the SRC on Sunday urged the Federal Government to promptly address these challenges.
Nigerians have been grappling with the severe economic downturn, exacerbated by President Bola Tinubu’s decision to abolish fuel subsidies upon assuming office on May 29, 2023, resulting in a significant spike in petrol prices from approximately N200 to well over N600.
The continuous depreciation of the naira against the dollar has led to a corresponding inflationary pressure on the prices of goods and services in the country, prompting widespread lamentation among Nigerians over the prevailing hardship.
Responding to the intensifying food shortage and escalating commodity rates, President Tinubu took swift action on February 8, 2024, directing the release of 102,000 metric tons of different grain varieties from Nigeria’s Strategic Reserve and the Rice Millers Association.
However, as highlighted by Speaker Ganiyu Yusuf, Deputy Speaker Akande Peter, and Clerk Praise Adesoji of the Great Ife SRC, the economic adversity underscores the sheer negligence and incompetence of our leaders.
“This alarming economic downturn has led to an unbearable cost of living, making it increasingly difficult for the average Nigerian to afford basic necessities,” the statement added.
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On insecurity, they said, “The rampant cases of insecurity, including kidnapping and banditry, have reached unprecedented levels, instilling fear and apprehension in the hearts of citizens across the nation. The government’s failure to prioritise the safety and security of its people is utterly unacceptable and cannot be tolerated any longer.”
The student leaders also decried “the government’s neglect of the education sector, evident in insufficient budget allocations and underfunding of tertiary institutions.”
Beginning in December 2023, there has been a troubling rise in insecurity across the nation, with violent outbreaks in Plateau and a surge in kidnappings reported in key urban centers like Abuja, Lagos, and Ogun.
On Saturday, reports emerged of bandit raids on two communities, Gwada and Kassam in Igabi, as well as Kauru local government areas of Kaduna, resulting in the tragic loss of nine lives and injuries to seven others. Additionally, numerous individuals were abducted, among them a retired director from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The state government, represented by Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner Overseeing Internal Security and Home Affairs, issued an official statement confirming the incident. However, the statement remained silent on the casualties and abductions that occurred in Igabi and Kauru local government areas of the state.