The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Babatunde Akinteye Babtee has condemned what he described as an unprovoked attack on members of the student body by individuals allegedly affiliated with the Take It Back Movement during a visit to Oyo State on a fact-finding and solidarity mission.
According to the NANS President, the incident occurred on Tuesday while he was leading representatives of various NANS structures to Oriire Local Government Area following a meeting with Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde. The meeting focused on strategies and recommendations aimed at securing the immediate rescue and safe return of students and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area.
The delegation was scheduled to meet with the families of the victims and visit the affected schools. However, while making a stop at a Conoil Filling Station in Bodija to refuel more than 40 vehicles in the convoy, members of the delegation reportedly encountered a group of protesters.
The NANS President stated that the group aggressively approached members of the entourage after the student body declined to participate in their protest. He said he instructed students accompanying him to ignore the provocation and remain focused on the mission to Oriire.
“Our priority was to visit the families of the abducted victims and the affected schools. NANS is an ideology-driven organization, and every organization has its own mode of operation,” he said.
Babtee further alleged that shortly after addressing members of the delegation, a mob confronted them, prompting what he described as a defensive response from NANS members on the ground.
According to him, it was during the confrontation that he became aware that the individuals involved were allegedly members of the Take It Back Movement.
While reaffirming NANS’ longstanding history of activism and advocacy, the student leader warned against any attempts to intimidate or harass members of the association.
“NANS has always maintained cordial relationships with various organizations. However, any attempt to incite, provoke, or attack our members will be met with resistance. We will not tolerate attacks on our organization,” he said.
The NANS President also noted that earlier in the day, the association had participated peacefully in a protest alongside the Oyo State chapters of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), emphasizing that there were no incidents during that engagement due to shared objectives and mutual understanding among the groups.
He called on security agencies to investigate the activities of the Take It Back Movement, alleging that some individuals may be using activism as a cover to create public disorder.
“As President of NANS, I have sworn to protect the integrity of the organization. Any attack or act of disparagement against NANS will be resisted. We remain committed to defending our members and preserving the integrity of the association,” he stated.
The incident comes amid growing concern over the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, a development that has prompted calls from stakeholders, labour unions, and student organizations for urgent government intervention and enhanced security measures.
