•Govt refusing assistance bad for rescue efforts’

Exactly 100 days after over 200 pupils were abducted from the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has criticised President Goodluck Jonathan for his “indolent and incompetent” leadership over the incident.

In a statement yesterday by NANS Public Relations Officer (PRO), Comrade Victor Olaogun, the students’ body decried the further collapse of the Education sector since the Jonathan administration took over.

It noted that besides the suffering from insecurity, Nigerian students suffered the President’s “incompetence” more than any other Nigerian.

Olaogun said since the Boko Haram insurgents started their killings and destruction of property, over 800 students had been killed, especially at the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi; the Adamawa State University; the School of Hygiene in Kano; the College of Agriculture in Damaturu, Yobe State, among others.

Olaogun said: “Or, do we talk about the killing of innocent National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members whose blood politicians have continued to march on to power?

“We cannot but imagine the harrowing experiences of these innocent girls, who may have been subjected to terrible experiences in the last 100 days in captivity. There is hardly any nation where this could happen and the President would still have the temerity to stage a political campaign and dance Alanta, as our own President did in Kano few hours after the Iyanya bombing. It was a huge display of insensitivity and gross misconduct.

“Also, I am a polytechnic student. With my mates in almost all the polytechnics across the federation and the colleges of education, we have been idle for over 10 months and somebody would tell me we have a government in place? We should recall also that the university education was put on hold for over six months before our colleagues could return to their various campuses. These are not only unacceptable but also condemnable.”

The students’ leader also condemned the $1 billion (about N165 billion) loan request by the President.

He said students would be mobilised for a protest to the National Assembly, if the lawmakers approve “the fraudulent request”.

Olaogun said: “Let me warn all the senators and the members of the House of Representatives that if they want to return to their constituencies without being stoned, they should not even consider the loan request, not to talk of approving it. We are aware that the President and his clique of wanted elements …are busy piling up our commonwealth to fight their way back to Aso Rock in 2015. We will fight it and make life more difficult for them.”

Also, a group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has said the failure of the Goodluck Jonathan administration to genuinely seek and accept assistance from other states and international organisations is a major reason the over 200 pupils of Government Girls’ Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, have not been rescued.

The schoolgirls were abducted 100 days ago by Boko Haram insurgents and have remained in the sect’s captivity since.

In a statement yesterday by its Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP said: “It is 100 days today that the girls were taken away from their families. The question Nigerians are asking is why this government has not admitted that it cannot do it alone. It is now time for the government to genuinely and proactively seek help and international assistance to obtain the badly needed intelligence, logistics and other support so that the schoolgirls can return to their families without further delay.

“At this point, seeking such assistance will not breach Nigeria’s sovereignty. As a matter of fact, SERAP believes that Nigeria has a duty, under international law, not only to seek international assistance but also to accept any such assistance when offered. This is the basis of the principle of international cooperation for the protection of human rights. “