Kammeratlig hilsen
Per Rasmussen
Danmark
-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: Socialist Appeal [SMTP:socappeal@easynet.co.uk]
Sendt: 18. juni 1999 18:50
Emne: NIGERIAN STUDENTS RELEASED!
LATEST ON NIGERIAN STUDENTS - 18th June 1999, 16.20 pm Nigerian students
released We have good news: the arrested students are now out! Most of
them were released on Tuesday (15th June), while Tosin was released on
Wednesday (16th June).
Meanwhile, the students from Lautech have been suspended indefinitely from
Lautech by the university management. The process of their victimization
has started. The same goes for Ilorin University. We will now be launching
a campaign against the victimisation of the students. Below we are
publishing a letter from Nigeria that explains the latest developments,
together with a letter from one of the released students.
LETTER FROM NIGERIA
18. 6. 99
Good news, the arrested students are now out! We got this information this
morning. They were released between Tuesday and Wednesday. Tosin was
released on Wednesday while some were released on Tuesday. There was a
conspiracy to hold Tosin till Wednesday.
The Magistrate granted them bail last week with some terrible conditions,
that the guarantor must have a landed property in Ilorin town, that there
must be a house on the land and the land must have a certificate of
occupancy! All the students arrested and detained are not from Ilorin and
most were not from the propertied class. This presented a problem, this is
exactly what the state wanted.
The local CDHR members, NLC activists, and other student activists rallied
round. The idea was then raised to get the professional guarantors, i.e.
those who make a living by standing as guarantors for those granted bail
for, a fee. They charged 3, 000 Naira per student. The LAUTECH students'
union was said to have brought some money for the process. However, by
the time they got to the Judge, he warned the professional guarantors to
stay clear of the case and that if they don't he would have them arrested.
The Magistrate knows all the professional guarantors as they have dealings
together. However, this was a political case and a lot was surrounding the
issue. In fact one of the professional guarantors who did not leave the
premises got arrested by the police. This ended that option. The
Magistrate declared at this juncture that he had a personal interest in
the case as the NANS has written a petition against him and he wanted to
teach the students some sense! He is a bit egocentric. It was at this
juncture that one of the Lecturers who was also a member of the CDHR
pleaded with him. At that instance he then set a new bail condition that
was not as terrible as the former one. This made it possible to get out
the first group on Tuesday. The prosecutor also paid his own terrible game
by hiding in order to delay the release. There was an attempt to keep
Tosin in longer because they thought that if he came out first he would go
to the campus and mobilise the students! However, he came out on
Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the students from LAUTECH have been suspended indefinitely by
the university management. The process of their victimization has started.
The same goes for Ilorin.
The State had no choice but to release them as the movement against the
detention was growing. What the Judge and university did was to play for
time; however, their method has not worked.
Rasheedat went onto the campus yesterday. Before she went in an appeal
letter was written by her to the students and the students are to protect
her from arrest. Some students volunteered to stay with her. Now the
international campaign must continue as the University is about to
victimize them and the case is still in court.
Regards
Z
FROM RELEASED STUDENT Dear Comrades, Hope all is well with everybody over
there. I came out of detention yesterday (totalling 36 days). The
Magistrate eventually granted a bail with conditions that constrained the
"11" to be released piecemeal. We needed to get guarantors for bail, each
with developed landed property in Ilorin.
Thanks for the coordination of the campaign for the release. The news I
got about it was superb and the comradely concern is quite encouraging.
My regards to all the comrades that took part.
I must confess the detention has its positives and negatives. For one it
further strengthened my conviction for change and for the future.
Presently I am still counting my losses, but I know that eventually with
the campaign continuation it shall be well politically and academically.
I have read your material on Yugoslavia and it is very apt in the update
form.
On the school front, anything can happen, they might attempt indefinite
suspension to expulsion, but with the sustainance of the campaign we shall
overcome. They have suspended the Lautech guys till they 'clear'
themselves from the police, such attempts by the University of Ilorin is
not off the agenda.
Comradely,
T.
17th June 1999
--------------
Yours in solidarity,
Nigerian Legal Defence Campaign
Campaign for a Workers and Youth Alternative (Nigeria)
CAMPAIGN FOR THE RELEASE OF INCARCERATED STUDENTS (CARIS - Nigeria)
Nigeria@socappeal.easynet.co.uk
PO Box 6977,
London N1 3JN,
Great Britain.
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