29/07/2024
Our Editorial
AAUA Family: Safety Beyond Campus Walls
A wave of fear has engulfed the Akungba community, leaving Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA) students reeling in its wake. The recent surge in robbery attacks and insecurity, particularly in areas where students reside, has exposed the vulnerability of our lives beyond the campus gates.
The recent tragic loss of a student's life who was reportedly shot dead in his off-campus hostel is shocking and heartbreaking to the AAUA students' community and serves as a heart-wrenching reminder of the devastating consequences of inaction.
As the Nigeria Union of Campus Journalists (NUCJ) AAUA Chapter, we condemn the incessant acts of violence, bullying, harm and killing of our students. The recent robbery attacks in Akungba's Oni Reason, Permanent Site, and Apex areas and some other Akungba communities where students of AAUA live have spotlighted the need for strengthened security in AAUA's off-campus community, where students' safety and well-being are paramount.
We urge the AAUA Students Union leaders to stand firm in their representation and protection of students' lives. We call on the paramilitary groups on campus – the cadets, Man O' War, and Peace Corps – to intensify their efforts in safeguarding students' lives, serving as beacons of hope in these turbulent times.
While acknowledging the AAUA school management's efforts to ensure students' safety, we urge them to adopt a more proactive approach. A comprehensive security strategy, forged in collaboration with the State Police, must be implemented to address the incessant threats, robbery, and insecurity facing students off-campus. This includes bolstering security presence in the Akungba community with state-of-the-art patrol vehicles, facilities, and an increased deployment of security agents.
NUCJ AAUA believes that students on and off-campus should enjoy the same privilege of security and this requires a collective responsibility, a sacred trust that we must uphold. Stakeholders must work in tandem to create a secure environment, where knowledge and learning can flourish, unencumbered by fear. We will continue to advocate improved security measures and hold those in charge accountable.
We stand together in demanding a safer environment. Enough is enough! We condemn the culture of insecurity resulting in collateral damage to students' lives. We demand action, and we demand it now. Our voices ring out like a clarion call to justice.
