A group, Concerned Citizens of Osun, has alleged that the state government gave a sum of N1m to the leadership of the National Association of Osun State Students to protest at the headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Osogbo on Tuesday.
The group in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Afeez Olakunle, expressed concern that the state government was dragging students into the internal crisis of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
It further alleged that an unnamed aide to Osun state governor worked with NAOSS leadership to stage the protest, insisting that protest against NSCDC was politically motivated.
The statement read 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 silent 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 the 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?”
When contacted, NAOS President, Moshood Yusuf, challenged the group to bring out proof that he collected money to mobilise students for the protest, adding that he witnessed the alleged shooting by NSCDC operatives on Monday.
“During the protest, my people could not even afford sachet water for themselves. Can I have N1million and I won’t be able to provide ordinary water? I have been expecting something like this because when you fight for masses, it is bound to happen this way. They should provide proof.
“I was around Olonkoro Area (of Osogbo) when the (Monday) shooting happened. Will I fold arms while people are killed? I witnessed the (shooting) incident. I was around Olonkoro (Osogbo). All of us had to flee. Nobody sponsored us. It is our thoughts; thoughts of the students. I can’t fold arms when a paramilitary organisation engage in an activity such as this,” Yusuf concluded.
