Protesters attacks NANS convention in Abuja

On Thursday, 3rd of December, 2020, heavy gunshots rocked the National convention of the National Association of Nigerian students (NANS) in Abuja.
According to reports, the convention was held at the old parade ground, Area 10, Garki, Abuja. The student leaders were meeting to elect new set of leaders to be in charge of the affairs of the union for the next one year.

The outgoing President, who was recently suspended, Danielson Bamidele Akpan, held on to the office for over two years refusing to hand over power.

Trouble was said to have brewed on Thursday, as one of the zonal co-ordinators of NANS, brought in armed men as accreditation was on. It was recorded that the armed suspected cultists engaged the men of the Department of State Security (DSS) on ground in gun battle. Some of the DSS officials were said to have taken to their heels and retreated as they were outnumbered by the suspected armed cultists.

Over 20 persons were said to have been injured. Normalcy later returned at midnight as the student leaders returned to the venue to continue election. It was gathered that security was reinforced as soldiers from Abuja had to be sent to provide security in addition to the DSS on ground.

An official of the NANS convention planning committee (CPC), Adamu Kabir, in a tweet, described the attack as “normal”.
According to him; “This sporadic shooting is an annual ritual that must be observed in order to test the ruggedity of candidates contesting for NANS presidency”.

Another student leader on the convention ground attributed the shootings to interest from various groups. He accused the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the presidency of sponsoring a particular Presidential candidate and providing him security cover to intimidate others.

The student leaders also accused a second term governor of the ruling party in South western Nigeria of trying to hijack the processes with huge sum of money over his interest on a presidential candidate.