A group in Osun State, the Concerned Citizens of Osun, has claimed that the State Government paid a sum of N1m to the leadership of National Association of Osun State Students to protest against the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state.
The group accused the state government of inducing the NAOSS leadership to invade the Osun Command of the security agency stage the protest by a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor.
The group did not name the Special Assistant.
In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Afeez Olakunle, said it was unfortunate that the state government is dragging students into the internal crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The group questioned why NAOSS had not issued just a statement on the insecurity and political violence in the state, arguing that the students body has clearly showed his bias with the sponsored protest it embarked upon on Tuesday.
The statement reads in part: “It is a shame that NAOSS, a supposed intellectual body of students, could sell itself so cheap to accept a sum of N1m from the state government to protest against the NSCDC in the state.
“The question to ask NAOSS leadership is that: why had it remained silence on the series of insecurity occurrences and political violence in the state? Why did NAOSS choose to protest against NSCDC which is doing its job of protecting lives and property of the people of the state? Why is it that it was a government official, SSA, that was mobilising media for the NAOSS protest?
“There is no sincerity in the NAOSS protest. It was a show of shame. It is unfortunate that the state government is dragging students into the internal crisis rocking the APC.
“This cause of action of NAOSS is highly condemnable, as it veered of its main cardinal objective of seeking the welfare of the students in terms of bursary and other packages that could alleviate the poverty that is confronting the indigenous students under the current administration.
“Since this current President has been elected since December, 2021, he has never led any delegation to the government to agitate for students better living or addresses a press conference. We wondered why and how NAOSS suddenly found its voice within hours in a clear political issue.”
The Osun Government had earlier in the week accused Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, of bringing security agents to be part of his convoy during sporadic gunshots were heard in the state capital.
But the APC faction that is loyal to Aregbesola said the gunshots first heard at the Olaiya area of Osogbo on the said day were those by hoodlums who were allegedly hired by the government to prevent the minister from passing through the Dugbe area.
Observers say that traders around the Dugbe area who include spare parts sellers have remained unapologetic supporters of Aregbesola more than three years after he left office.
After sporadic gunshots were heard from the hoodlums, security men in the convoy of the minister had reportedly repelled the attacks.