The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council in Lagos State, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to set up a presidential panel of inquiry into the killing of a University of Jos student, Abel Gershon.
Gershon, a 300-level Building student at the University of Jos, died after sustaining injuries during a Palm Sunday attack on Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its chairman, Ridwan Ajayi, the student body described the incident as a reflection of Nigeria’s worsening security situation and called for urgent intervention.
The attack, which occurred on March 29, 2026, involved gunmen who reportedly arrived on motorcycles and opened fire on residents in a busy area popular among students. Gershon was initially reported to have survived but later died in the intensive care unit of the Jos University Teaching Hospital.
Read Also:
- UNIJOS lecturers embark on indefinite strike over unpaid March salary
- Delta government evacuates students from UNIJOS after deadly Palm Sunday attack
- UNIJOS Senate honours Prof. Joash Amupitan as he bows out as DVC ahead of INEC chairmanship
NANS said the proposed panel should identify those responsible, ensure their prosecution, and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents.
“We call on the Federal Government to immediately constitute a presidential panel of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding this killing and ensure justice is served,” the statement said.
The group also condemned what it described as the failure of security systems to adequately protect lives, stressing that students should feel safe within their campuses and host communities.
NANS commended Babajide Sanwo-Olu for facilitating the evacuation of Lagos students from affected areas, describing the move as a demonstration of responsive leadership.
Meanwhile, the Plateau State Government, represented by Chief of Staff Jeremiah Satmark on behalf of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, assured that those behind the attack would be brought to justice.
Similarly, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu pledged that security agencies would track down the perpetrators, describing the killings as unacceptable. He noted that the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations had already been deployed to coordinate security responses in the state.
NANS extended condolences to the family of the deceased and the university community, insisting that the incident must not go unpunished.
