ASHENEWS reports that the Governor of Niger State, Umaru Bago has assured that his administration will do everything within its power to protect the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, and ensure the safety of its students and staff.
The Governor gave the assurance while meeting with stakeholders from the Lapai Emirate and the management of IBBU at the Government House, Minna, to address recent security breaches that led to the indefinite closure of the institution.
The governor directed the university’s management to work closely with the State Security Committee to design and implement a comprehensive security plan.
This includes recruiting, training, and equipping security personnel for the institution, and introducing coded identity cards for students and staff to improve access control.
He declared that his administration would not tolerate any further breach of security under his leadership, emphasizing the need to restore confidence in the institution.
“Parents must be reassured of their children’s safety. They will also be required to sign undertakings on their children’s conduct while on campus,” he stated.
To address students’ accommodation challenges, the Governor urged the university to explore a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) initiative in collaboration with private developers.
He also charged the management to diversify its revenue sources and reduce reliance on state funding.
In a significant policy shift, the Governor has also directed the university to phase out all satellite campuses within the next three years and relocate all academic programmes to the main campus in Lapai.
He noted that the institution would only be reopened when its security architecture is fully revamped to ensure the safety of lives and property.
Governor Bago also called for mutual cooperation between the host community and the university, stressing the importance of peaceful coexistence for local development.
He announced plans to convene a town hall meeting with stakeholders from Lapai and work with the local council to establish a vigilante group to reinforce community security.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Abdullahi Mamagi, and Chairman of Lapai Local Government Council, Abdullahi Kirikpo, identified inadequate hostel facilities and security personnel as pressing issues to the institution.
They appealed for the Governor’s intervention to restore normalcy.
The Vice Chancellor of IBBU Lapai, Prof. Mohammed Hadi Suleiman, also shared ongoing efforts to secure interventions for improved student accommodation.
