The #TakeItBack Movement, a pressure and mass mobilization group, has demanded that the Kaduna State Government should immediately release the 12 students of the College of Education, Gidan Waya, who have been in police detention since June 28.
The names of the students detained by the police since June 28 are: Elon Joseph; Anthony James; Moses Success, Peter Sunday, Felix Nathaniel, Gabriel Jerry Joseph, Enoch Rabo , Bagudu James, Queen Joshua, Pius Prove, Philemon Favour, and Tarmaine Ayis.
The group in a release noted that the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who enjoyed free education and affordable school fees in his days, should not suddenly wake up and impose outrageous fees on residents of the state sending their wards to school.
The Kaduna Chapter of the #TakeItBack Movement, in the release signed by Deborah Yusuf stated these.
The statement partly reads,
“The Kaduna State Government under the leadership of Nasir El-Rufai has over the years consistently used draconian laws to oppress and undermine the people of Kaduna State, a government meant to serve its people’s interest is serving its own interest at the detriment of the people.
“Despite protests against hike in school fees of Kaduna State University, the Kaduna State government has remained defiant and resolute to maintain a hike that is not practical, the actions of Governor El-Rufai are not only autocratic but also oppressive considering the economic decline of the nation. The governor who weighed heavily on affordable and quality education during his campaign has turned blind eyes and ears to the woes and complaints of its people.
“Students of the College of Education Gidan Waya came out in protest against the hike in school fees, but police officers killed two students and took 12 protesters in custody for upholding their constitutional rights. We strongly condemn and demand that these students be released from police custody and the families of the two students who were killed on protest ground be heavily compensated.
“The Governor of Kaduna State must remember that he was democratically elected and must desist from tyrannical behaviour and actions.
“The TakeitBack Movement, positioned as a vanguard of struggle, calls on the people of Kaduna State not to be silent under oppression but to continuously rise against oppression and tyranny and demand the safety and security of their lives and property in the face of incessant kidnappings in the state.”
“They have been arrested since June 28 and are currently detained at the state Criminal Investigation Department, One of the students killed is Emmanuel Nathan, popularly called DJ Skibo. Another was Abas Zakari.”
