By Adesakin Adefemi
November 20, 2025
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has declared a state of emergency over the escalating insecurity in the country’s educational system. In a statement signed by Comrade Adeyemi Samson Ajasa, NANS National PRO, the organization expressed profound sorrow and grave concern over the deepening security collapse that has rendered Nigeria’s educational landscape perilously vulnerable.
According to the statement, the relentless surge in banditry, coordinated abductions, and systemic terrorism has become more than a recurring national tragedy; it now constitutes an existential threat capable of dismantling the future of millions of Nigerian students and eroding the nation’s intellectual capital. The recent, targeted assaults on academic institutions are neither isolated occurrences nor random acts of violence, but rather a deliberate and strategic offensive by criminal elements seeking to induce widespread educational displacement and institutional breakdown.
The abduction of students in Kebbi State and the invasion of a Catholic school in Niger State are cited as examples of the escalating brutality of these non-state actors. These incidents have forced countless students into a distressing dilemma: the need to choose between the pursuit of education and the preservation of personal safety. Such a reality is unacceptable in any civilized society, and its continuation threatens the stability, development, and global standing of Nigeria.
NANS is calling on the Federal Government to demonstrate unequivocal political will by dismantling the operational networks, funding channels, and logistical lifelines of terror groups. The organization demands immediate, large-scale investments in modern surveillance systems, fortified community-based security frameworks, and the implementation of comprehensive rural protection policies. The unconditional rescue and reintegration of every abducted student must stand as an urgent national priority.
The statement also calls on the Nigerian Military High Command and all security agencies to shift from reactive operations to proactive, intelligence-driven, and strategically coordinated security interventions. Enhanced inter-agency collaboration is imperative to eliminate redundancies, improve rapid-response capabilities, and ensure continuous monitoring of at-risk educational zones. The protection of schools and academic communities should be elevated to a central pillar of national security strategy.
NANS remains steadfast, vigilant, and uncompromising in its commitment to sustained, constructive engagement with all relevant stakeholders. The organization reaffirms its advocacy for the security of every Nigerian
