The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has issued an official response following the arrest of four individuals by the Osun State Police Command.
The suspects were reportedly found in possession of firearms, cutlasses, and charms while operating a vehicle bearing a NANS-branded license plate.
In a statement released by the association, the NANS Zone D leadership expressed concern over what it described as a “reckless” association of the suspects with its organisation without proper verification.
While acknowledging the possibility that one or more of the individuals may be students, the association emphasized that their alleged actions do not represent the values or objectives of NANS.
“No institution, including the Nigeria Police Force, is entirely free from the presence of bad elements.”
“One misled student does not reflect the ideals and values of NANS, just as one erring officer does not define the entire police force,” the statement read.
The student body also drew attention to a recent incident in Osogbo involving the alleged hijacking of a NANS member’s vehicle by a police officer.
NANS noted that despite the severity of the incident, it refrained from making sweeping public statements or generalising the entire police institution.
In the wake of the current controversy, NANS Zone D criticised the public circulation of images showing the NANS-branded vehicle, describing the act as “media theatrics” and a “deliberate attempt to defame the organisation.”
The group maintained that such portrayals without context are harmful, unprofessional, and misleading.
The statement further reiterated NANS’s commitment to upholding law, order, and peaceful coexistence.
“We do not condone crime, cultism, or any form of violence. NANS stands for leadership, learning, and national development,” the organization stated.
NANS Zone D emphasized its willingness to cooperate fully with security agencies to investigate the matter thoroughly.
However, it cautioned against what it described as the indiscriminate tagging of suspects as NANS members, urging both the media and law enforcement agencies to approach such matters with fairness and due diligence.
The release concluded with a call to action: “Investigate thoroughly. Speak responsibly. Act fairly. That is all we ask.”
The statement was signed by the Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Owolewa Taiwo S., and General Secretary, Comrade Oluwole Olutunde A., and was broadcasted by the association’s Public Relations Officer, Comrade Kuku Isaiah Eromidayo.
