EFCC RAID ON STUDENT HOSTELS IN BIDA: NAPS CONDEMNS UNLAWFUL INVASION, DEMANDS JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) strongly condemns the recent unjustified raid carried out by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on student hostels surrounding the Federal Polytechnic, Bida.

While NAPS remains unequivocally opposed to all forms of criminal activity, we firmly state that the fight against crime must never come at the expense of the rights, dignity, and safety of innocent Nigerian students.

According to verified reports reaching our secretariat, EFCC operatives stormed various student lodges without search warrants—harassing occupants, destroying personal property, and unlawfully arresting numerous students, many of whom have no known link to any alleged crime.

This blatant abuse of power is not only intolerable but constitutes a serious violation of fundamental human rights. Students are not criminals by default, and indiscriminate raids on academic environments erode trust, compromise mental well-being, and jeopardize academic pursuits.

We demand the following actions without delay:

Immediate and unconditional release of all unlawfully detained students.

Public apology and compensation for affected students whose rights were violated.

A transparent and thorough investigation into the misconduct of the EFCC operatives involved.

Structured dialogue between EFCC leadership and student representatives to set clear operational boundaries within academic institutions.

Strict adherence to constitutional rights and due process in all future enforcement activities.

NAPS reaffirms its commitment to supporting sincere efforts to combat crime and corruption in Nigeria. However, we will not remain silent while the nation’s future—its students—are unjustly profiled, harassed, or treated as criminals under the guise of anti-corruption enforcement.

We urge the EFCC, the Federal Government, and relevant human rights bodies to take immediate action to address this gross misconduct and prevent future occurrences.

An injury to one polytechnic student is an injury to all.

In unwavering solidarity,
Comrade Oyewumi Festus Ayomide, FCAI, GCNPS
National President,
National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS)

SOSAP Founder, Bolaji Applauds Dr Akinola on New Appointment, Contributions to Maritime Industry

Comrade Israel Bolaji, a communications consultant and Founder of Skills Over Substances And Paradigm Shift Alliance (SOSAP), has congratulated esteemed media practitioner and maritime analyst, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, on his latest appointment as Media and Communication Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola.

Bolaji noted that the Marine and Blue Economy is estimated to hold a potential worth of around $296 billion and is capable of generating an annual revenue of $53.6 billion, with the potential to contribute over 7 trillion Naira annually and create approximately 40 million jobs. This sector is a critical component of Nigeria’s economy and holds significant potential for its prosperity.

He stated that the appointment was well-deserved and commended Akinola for his contributions to the maritime industry, which have spanned over a decade.

“Akinola is a seasoned media practitioner and maritime analyst who has significantly contributed to the growth of the maritime industry, and continues to do so through various initiatives, especially as an analyst, journalist and Publisher of Ships & Ports Newspaper, and CEO of Ships & Ports Communication Company.”

He added: “I firmly believe that Dr. Bolaji Akinola’s experience will facilitate smooth communication between the Ministry, the media, and other stakeholders, thereby promoting further growth and development in the maritime sector and the nation’s economy.”

Dr Akinola is widely recognised for his contributions to issues concerning port reforms, maritime safety, shipping development, and Nigeria’s Blue Economy.

SOSAP is a non-profit organisation that mentors youths, assisting them in acquiring essential technology skills and developing the right mindset while discouraging anti-social behaviours.

“From Freedom Fighter to Xenophobic Tyrant: How South Africa Betrays Africa”

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

In an age where Africa must rally around unity, economic collaboration, and cross-border development, it is both tragic and outrageous that a political leader in South Africa has emerged to champion a campaign that echoes the darkest ideologies of the past. Gayton McKenzie, the Mayor of Central Karoo and leader of the Patriotic Alliance, has become the face of xenophobic populism in South Africa. His “Abahambe” doctrine; which means “Let them leave” in Zulu meaning is not just a rallying cry; it is a ticking time bomb threatening the very fabric of African brotherhood.

By targeting African migrants, particularly Nigerians and Zimbabweans, McKenzie is doing more than playing politics. He is weaponizing fear, scapegoating economic migrants who, contrary to his claims, often create their own jobs, employ others, and contribute to the local economy. This is not a movement of patriotism. It is a movement of prejudice, one that resembles, in language and tone, the early stages of fascist regimes.

Dangerous Rhetoric, Dangerous Consequences
History offers sobering lessons. Leaders who have failed to deliver prosperity often manufacture enemies. Adolf Hitler, in the 1930s, blamed Germany’s woes on Jews and used propaganda to dehumanize them. We all know where that road led.

McKenzie’s playbook is eerily similar. Rather than confront South Africa’s systemic failures and rampant corruption, deteriorating infrastructure, and chronic unemployment, he blames African migrants. This redirection of public anger is a cynical political strategy. It is easier to inflame crowds than to fix roads, hospitals, or schools. But such strategies come with deadly consequences.

This is no longer just a political platform. It is incitement. His speeches have inspired violence: shops looted, homes burnt, and lives lost. These are not isolated incidents they are the direct results of a narrative that paints migrants as enemies, not neighbors.

African Migrants: Job Creators, Not Job Thieves
Contrary to McKenzie’s inflammatory claims, the overwhelming majority of African migrants in South Africa are self-employed. They run salons, corner shops, logistics companies, restaurants, and even tech startups. They work tirelessly, not because South Africa gave them jobs, but because they were forced by circumstances to create their own. They compete not for state resources, but for survival.

Studies by the Human Sciences Research Council and other institutions have repeatedly shown that immigrants are more likely to be entrepreneurs than locals; a fact also observed across Europe and the United States. In inner cities across Johannesburg and Cape Town, it is often foreign-owned businesses that provide services and employment in neglected areas.

So when McKenzie screams “Abahambe,” he is not just targeting undocumented migrants. He is threatening people who pay rent, taxes, school fees — and employ South Africans too.

Nigeria’s Historic Role: A Debt South Africa Must Honor
That Nigerians are a central target of this campaign is not only unjust; it is profoundly insulting. Nigeria was one of the fiercest opponents of apartheid. From 1960 to 1994, the country invested billions in today’s value, over $60 billion in supporting South Africa’s liberation. The Nigerian government funded the African National Congress (ANC), hosted its exiles, trained its soldiers, and spearheaded global sanctions against the apartheid regime.

Nigerians paid a “Mandela Tax” to fund the anti-apartheid movement. They were barred from international events, ostracized diplomatically, and made enormous economic sacrifices, all in the name of African freedom.

As Desmond Tutu once said, “We are because you are. Our liberation was your victory too.”

To now see Nigerians vilified in South Africa is to watch the knife twist in a wound still healing from the scars of colonialism and racial segregation.

South African Businesses Thrive in Nigeria
While McKenzie accuses foreigners of exploitation, the economic relationship between Nigeria and South Africa tells a different story. South African companies have thrived in Nigeria without facing the kind of hatred that migrants now endure in South Africa.

MTN Nigeria—the crown jewel of the MTN Group contributes more than a third of the group’s global profit. Shoprite, DSTV (Multichoice), Stanbic IBTC, and others have enjoyed a warm reception in Nigeria. They’ve grown into household names, making millions in a competitive but welcoming market.

Would McKenzie prefer these companies to be driven out of Nigeria in retaliation? Can he account for the jobs that would be lost both in Nigeria and South Africa if this economic partnership collapses?

In diplomacy, as in economics, respect must be mutual.

A Threat to Pan-African Progress
McKenzie’s divisive politics do not only endanger MIGRANTS, they threaten the very soul of Africa. At a time when the African Union is pushing for deeper integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), when regional blocks are forming to combat poverty, disease, and terrorism, McKenzie’s ideology is a setback. It is a rejection of unity in favor of isolation. It is a throwback to the colonial mindset of “divide and rule.”

The real enemies of South Africa are not the foreign-born Africans struggling to make ends meet. The enemies are inequality, corruption, misgovernance, and disinvestment. No Nigerian or Zimbabwean created Eskom’s energy crisis. No Ethiopian migrant siphoned billions through state capture. The problems are internal. The solutions, too, must be.

Voices of Reason Must Rise
As former Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah famously said, “The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart.” Those words ring true now more than ever. Africa needs leaders who speak of unity, who understand the value of cooperation not populists who exploit pain for power.

South African civil society, journalists, trade unions, and faith-based organizations must rise and reject McKenzie’s brand of hatred. Silence is complicity, and complicity is guilt. Xenophobia, if unchecked, will destroy not only the lives of migrants but also the moral standing of South Africa as a leader on the continent.

International organizations, too, must speak up. The African Union must investigate whether the “Abahambe” campaign amounts to incitement under international law. The United Nations should monitor the human rights situation in affected communities. Hate speech is not free speech especially when it costs lives.

A Future Worth Building Together
Africa’s youth; its greatest resource must understand that collaboration, not confrontation, is the key to prosperity. With a shared market of 1.3 billion people and untapped resources, the future is bright only if we work together. We must reject demagogues who preach division and embrace leaders who champion innovation, education, and entrepreneurship.

As Nelson Mandela once said, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate. If they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.”

Let us teach that love now through policy, protest, and unity.

In conclusion: Africa’s Moral Test
Gayton McKenzie is not just a politician. He is a test; for South Africa’s democracy, for Africa’s unity, and for the conscience of every black person on the continent. If we allow his hate-filled rhetoric to spread unchecked, we risk not just more violence, but the unraveling of everything Africa has worked to build since independence.

But if we meet his hatred with courage, unity, and law, then we will have turned this dangerous chapter into a moment of reckoning. Let McKenzie’s campaign be remembered not as the movement that broke Africa, but as the spark that finally woke it up.

Africa must choose: hatred or hope, division or dignity.

Let us choose wisely.