The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the Take It Back Movement have traded accusations over the recent protests following the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The disagreement came to the fore on Thursday during a town hall meeting organised by News Central in Ibadan with the theme, “Oyo At A Crossroads: Security, Safety and The Future.”
The controversy stems from a clash that occurred around the Bodija area of Ibadan during separate demonstrations over the abduction of pupils and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, who were kidnapped on May 15, 2026.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Oyo State Assistant General Secretary of the NANS Joint Campus Council, Damilare Olayemi, denied allegations that students were sponsored by the government to disrupt the protest organised by the Take It Back Movement.
According to him, NANS members were on their way to Oriire to show solidarity with the victims when they encountered the protesters.
He explained that members of the association only demanded free passage after the road was blocked and accused the protesters of attacking them first.
Olayemi maintained that NANS had also protested to the Governor’s Office alongside labour unions and other groups and insisted that the state government was making efforts to secure the release of the abducted victims.
He criticised the Take It Back Movement for accusing the students’ body of acting on behalf of the government, insisting that NANS only believed authorities should intensify efforts rather than exploit the situation.
However, a representative of the Take It Back Movement, Femi Adeyeye, claimed their demonstration was peaceful until members of NANS arrived in large numbers and disrupted the exercise.
He alleged that the students were mobilised to counter the protest, saying the government often creates divisions between pro-government and anti-government groups during demonstrations.
Adeyeye argued that insecurity in the country is fundamentally a political issue and blamed governments at all levels for failing to address the root causes of violence, unemployment and social neglect.
He maintained that citizens have every right to hold elected leaders accountable since they entrusted them with the responsibility of ensuring security and welfare.
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According to him, if government officials are unable to protect citizens and fulfil their constitutional responsibilities, they should resign.
Adeyeye also warned against turning insecurity into a business, alleging that a network of suppliers, negotiators and intermediaries has emerged around kidnapping and terrorism.
He further criticised the perceived lack of coordination between political leaders, arguing that authorities should provide regular updates to citizens whenever such incidents occur.
Also speaking, Oyo State President of the National Association of Seadogs, Bola Osodipo, expressed concern over the handling of insecurity in the country.
He said the government’s current approach to tackling kidnappings was inadequate and argued that politics was influencing efforts aimed at addressing the security crisis.
