By Adesina Wahab

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Southwest Zone, led by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, has expressed its readiness to support the police and security agencies to ensure a violence-free governorship election in Osun State.

The student body gave the assurance at the weekend during a visit to the state by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu.

IGP Disu had paid a strategic working visit to Osun State as part of proactive efforts to ensure a peaceful, free, fair, and violence-free atmosphere ahead of the forthcoming Osun State Governorship Election.

The high-level stakeholders’ meeting brought together political party leaders, prominent politicians, traditional rulers, security agencies, community leaders, and other critical stakeholders across the state.
The NANS team was led by Kayode who represented the collective voice of Nigerian students across the Southwest.

In his keynote address, the Inspector-General of Police reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to maintaining peace, law, and order before, during, and after the governorship election. He stressed that every eligible citizen has the constitutional right to vote for the candidate of their choice without intimidation, harassment, or fear.

The IGP issued a strong warning against political violence and criminal activities, emphasizing that anyone involved in the killing of another human being or any act capable of disrupting the peace of Osun State would be identified, arrested, and prosecuted according to the law. He urged all political actors and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly and embrace peaceful democratic engagement.

Speaking on behalf of Nigerian students in the Southwest, particularly students in Osun State, Kayode expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of violence and the unfortunate loss of young lives in the state.

Drawing from available statistics and observations, the Coordinator noted that the majority of both the perpetrators and victims of violent crimes are youths. He therefore called for urgent collective action to redirect the energy of young people towards productive and nation-building activities rather than violence and criminality.

He commended the Inspector-General of Police for his visionary leadership and acknowledged the positive impact of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) initiative, describing it as a programme that aligns perfectly with the objectives of the National Association of Nigerian Students in promoting peace, discipline, youth development, and social reorientation.

Addressing political leaders present at the meeting, he passionately appealed to them to continually preach peace among their supporters, youths, and students. According to him, political leaders have a moral responsibility to discourage violence and ensure that elections are conducted peacefully without bloodshed.

He stated that the desire of Nigerian students is to see a society where dialogue replaces violence and where stakeholders would no longer need to convene emergency meetings because of avoidable crises.
To conclude his presentation, the NANS Southwest Coordinator emotionally rendered one of the popular student movement gyrations, carrying a profound message of collective responsibility:

The powerful rendition resonated throughout the vicinity and drew applause from participants as it reminded everyone that restoring peace requires the collective effort of every member of society.

Responding to the presentation, the Inspector-General of Police expressed admiration for the maturity, wisdom, and patriotic disposition demonstrated by the Coordinator of NANS Southwest. He appreciated the NANS leader for recognizing the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in promoting peace and public safety.

The IGP further explained the vision behind the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) initiative.

According to him, POCACOV is a specialized intervention programme established by the Nigeria Police Force to prevent crime through advocacy, sensitization, counselling, rehabilitation, and youth engagement. He explained that the initiative focuses on rescuing young people from social vices such as cultism, drug abuse, including the consumption of Indian hemp and other illicit substances, and other criminal behaviours by rehabilitating and positively redirecting them towards meaningful lives.

He disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force is committed to expanding the POCACOV initiative into schools across the country to educate students on the dangers of crime and encourage them to become ambassadors of peace within their communities.