The leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has visited the minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and commended his achievements in national security.
The association proposed a strategic initiative aimed at tackling insecurity through agricultural development.
Led by the national president of NAPS, Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, the delegation described the minister’s performance as “outstanding,” especially in enhancing synergy among security agencies and promoting local military industrialisation.
NAPS, which represents over 28.1 million students across Nigeria’s polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of technology, presented a position paper highlighting recent gains under the Ministry of Defence. These include sustained counter-insurgency operations, improved welfare for personnel and intelligence-driven security efforts.
“We acknowledge the ministry’s visible progress in coordinating joint operations, neutralising threats and restoring confidence in Nigeria’s defence architecture,” Oghayan said during the meeting at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
The student body, however, raised concerns over rising insecurity around educational institutions, citing recent incidents at the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi and other campuses where students had become victims of kidnappings and attacks.
The NAPS president urged the ministry to intensify joint security patrols around school environments and ensure the safety of students nationwide.
“As stakeholders in national development, we must ensure that campuses remain safe havens for learning and not hotspots of violence,” he stated.
In his response, the minister commended the proactive posture of the NAPS leadership and expressed the ministry’s readiness to deepen collaboration with student bodies and educational institutions in securing the nation.
“We are encouraged by this level of patriotism and thought leadership from our students. The ministry is open to constructive partnerships that advance both security and national development,” he said.
