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NANS Mulls Security, Education Summit
The President of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), Comrade Sunday Asefon, yesterday, disclosed that the association planned to organize a Security and Education Summit to partner stakeholders on how to arrest the drift in the two critical sectors.
He described the 2021 budgetary provision for education under President Muhammadu Buhari, as the worst in the last one decade.
He expressed worry over the level of neglect in the education sector, which was apportioned a paltry of 5.6 per cent of the 2021 budget, saying that the high level of insecurity in the country would have guided the government to increase allocation to education as a means of lifting millions of young people out of crime and violence.
Asefon said this in Ado Ekiti, during a courtesy visit to the office of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Correspondents’ Chapel, Ekiti chapter.
He said: “I condemn totally, the Federal Government’s 2021 budgetary provision to education. It was the worst in the last 10 years. The Federal Government only apportioned 5.6 per cent to the sector out of a total of N13.6trillion budgetary provision.
“When you remove the percentage for basic education, what then becomes of the tertiary cadre? The percentage is ridiculous, low and disappointing. This is one of the challenges we are facing in the education sector”.
Asefon assured that the NANS under him would invest quality time to advocate for better funding of education sector, saying the sector has been neglected because only the children of the poor attend public universities.
On the spate of insecurity in the land, Asefon described as shocking, the kidnap of over 344 boarding students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, by gunmen, saying this had attested to the utter failure of governance in the country.
“I was shocked by this incident, and I urge the Federal Government to do something urgent about this. When I was told that the Kankara students were kidnapped with motorbikes, I was not really happy.
“It shows we don’t have security around our campuses. Our students were being bullied and harassed by bandits across the North; that we won’t tolerate.
“Nigeria is richly blessed. If you look at our budget, several billions of naira were being budgeted to security sector. In spite of this, we are not secured. With the way things are today, Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder.
“I think we can borrow a leave from Singapore. Singapore had a lot of challenges like ours in the past, but it overcame with proper planning. Nigeria should take a leave from this country.
“We are worried that our education and security have deteriorated due to government lapses. They have collapsed and Nigeria needs urgent overhauling.
“NANS under my headship will organise education and security summit, where we can address the deficiencies in the two sectors”.
Asefon said his leadership of NANS would tackle the malaise of sex for marks, unlawful rustication and other forms of injustices on campuses.
He also warned the government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), not to renege on the pact leading to the suspension of over nine months industrial action in the universities.
“The government and ASUU must honour their own side of the agreement. We are particularly worried that ASUU, whose members are supposed to be socialists are turning capitalists. They no longer put their children in the public schools and also not dedicated to duty.
“ASUU should not consider another strike. A lot of students had died; some had taken into ICT fraud, and won’t come back to schools. Were the government and ASUU not aware that 75 per cent of those that participated in #EndSARS protests were students? They constituted about 41 million population of Nigeria”.
The NANS President called for total overhauling of the education and security sectors to be able to deliver for Nigerians.
Asefon stated that the election that brought him into office was keenly contested, which he said further put a burden on him to be focused in his service to the students, by executing transformational agenda that would reform and rebrand NANS.
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The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has directed his lawyers to withdraw all ongoing defamation lawsuits against several individuals, saying he was moved by counsel during a New Year Mass.
Speaking at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, yesterday, Akpabio said he had filed nearly nine lawsuits against individuals he accused of defaming him.
He said, “I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name.
“But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”
In 2025, Akpabio had filed several high-profile defamation lawsuits, including one against colleague Senator Natasha Akpoti?Uduaghan.
In late 2025, Akpabio filed a N200 billion defamation lawsuit against her over allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied and urged her to substantiate in court.
Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife also filed defamation suits against Akpoti?Uduaghan over claims she said had harmed her family’s reputation.
Relations between the two lawmakers soured after Akpoti?Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025, following her public allegations of misconduct.
The Senator had previously challenged actions taken against her in court, including a N100 billion defamation suit she filed against Akpabio and other defendants over alleged remarks that she said damaged her reputation.
With yesterday’s announcement, Akpabio has formally ended all pending legal disputes arising from defamation claims, signalling closure to the publicised litigations as the year begins.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the best form of gratitude Rivers people owe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for protecting the interest of the State is to galvanize massive support for the President in 2027.
Fubara disclosed this last Monday during the commissioning of Permanent Secretaries Quarters built by his administration at Elimgbu in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the State.
He said that the State has what it takes to deliver the President during the 2027 general elections.
“We’ve taken a decision,our decision is for the good of Rivers State, our decision is to say thank you for the protection we have from Mr President, our decision is to prove that we have what it takes to deliver Mr President.”
Fubara expressed delight over the completion of the project, stating that the initiative was to provide accommodation, a basic need of life for public servants in the state to improve their productivity.
He explained that lack of effective social welfare was at the root of some incriminating actions that undermine the purpose of governance, noting that the commissioning of the newly built Permanent Secretaries Quarters marks a significant milestone in civil service welfare and institutional development.
“Insecurity begins when individuals are uncertain of what the next hour holds. This situation is especially challenging for family men and women, affecting confidence and decision-making,” he observed.
Fubara emphasized the need for proper maintenance of the facility and urged the beneficiaries to protect the project like a personal property, while directing the State Head of Service to appoint a facility manager to ensure long-term maintenance.
In her remarks, the Special Guest of Honour and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who unveiled the project, expressed appreciation to the governor and Rivers State for inviting her to commission the project.
She commended Fubara for prioritizing the welfare of Permanent Secretaries who are senior public servants and accounting officers, noting that the project reflects purposeful and visionary leadership, and urged other states to borrow a cue from the Rivers State Governor.
Walson-Jack described the initiative as a strategic investment in staff welfare and institutional continuity which she noted is in line with Renewed Hope Initiative on provision of mass housing and social stability.
“The commissioning of these houses reflect a deliberate commitment to the dignity, welfare, and productivity of senior public servants responsible for policy coordination and service delivery,” she said.
In his goodwill message, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibode Bashiru, who led a high powered delegation on a visit to the governor, congratulated Rivers people for aligning with the Pan Nigerian political party, assuring that the interest of Rivers State will be duly protected in the APC.
He described President Bola Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian who anchors his leadership on equity, fairness and justice, adding that the APC will provide a level playing ground for all.
The APC chief scribe also commended Fubara for providing good accommodation for public servants, stating that it will address issues of sabotage, compromise and disloyalty on the part of public servants.
Giving the project description, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, said the estate comprises 29 units, including nine standalone duplexes and 20 terrace buildings.
Facilities feature a water treatment plant, synchronized power generators, CCTV and alarm systems, a gym, recreational areas, and green spaces—designed to enhance comfort, performance, and productivity.
Earlier, the Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr Mrs Inyingi Brown, had thanked the governor for his visionary initiative and unwavering commitment to the welfare of Rivers State Civil Servants, and restated the commitment of the State civil servants to the success of Fubara’s administration.
By: Taneh Beemene
