A ‘factional’ President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Mr. Umar Faruk Lawal, alias Fakky, has reportedly gone missing.
According to a memo making the rounds on social media, Lawal was last seen on the 4th of October 2022, at Maraba-Nyanya axis of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The undated memo seen by CAMPUS GIST was endorsed by Senate President of the Lawal’s faction of NANS, Mr. Ismail Adediwura Adeshina.
“Am using this medium to inform the security operatives and well meaning Nigerians of the missing of Comrade Faruk Lawal, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students since Tuesday 4th of October, 2022,” Adeshina said.
“Comrade Faruk Lawal was last seen around Maraba/Nyanya axis yesterday afternoon. Different information is flying around in the student community that he was kidnapped while some says he was picked up by the security operative in connection to the crisis within the Student Association, this has generated a lot of tension within the student leadership rank.
“Therefore, in the interest of peace and security, call on the Department of Security Services, Nigeria Police Force and all Security apparatus, students community and well meaning Nigerians to come to our aid in finding our highly revered Comrade and Leader to douse the already heated tension. We believe in your capacity and commitment to ensure that Nigeria is safe for all and Sundry,” the memo read.
Efforts by CAMPUS GIST to reach the NANS ‘factional’ President on the telephone proved abortive as his known phone line was switched off.
But a member of the Lawal’s faction of NANS confirmed that indeed, the leader of his team has not been seen since he left home.
“I am not aware of his (Lawal’s) whereabouts, I cannot confirm at the moment if he is truly missing, but since after our last meeting, he has not been seen in public,” the official, who craved anonymity said.
Recall that during the Sept. 3 NANS convention held in Abuja, things took a dramatic turn as two factions of the students’ body declared two candidates, Umar Faruk Lawal of Bayero University and Usman Barambu of Federal univesity Duste winners of the election, causing an internal dispute within the union.
However, the immediate president of NANS, Sunday Afeson, would later go on to recognize Mr. Usman Barambu, as the ‘president elect’ of the association despite the lingering leadership controversy which has landed the students’ body in court.
