The Federal University of Technology, Minna, in Niger State, has been at the center of a heated controversy over the planned cession of its Bosso Campus to the Niger State Government. The university's Governing Council has dismissed reports of a planned handover, describing them as misinformation. The council convened an emergency meeting to address the concerns of protesting students who stormed the Gidan-Kwano campus along the Minna-Bida road.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, including Mrs. Elizabeth Emma-Egoro, who spoke on behalf of the Minister, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa. Mrs. Emma-Egoro assured the students that the minister was committed to peace, integrity, and stability in the university system. The National President of the FUT Minna Alumni Association, Prof. Shola S. Gabriel, also appealed for calm, urging students to allow due process to take its course.
However, student leaders expressed strong reservations over the role of the Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Mohammed Kudu Santuraki, in the ongoing crisis. They accused him of alleged connivance in moves to share or cede the campus to the state government. The students cited a recent meeting in Abuja convened by the Minister of Education, where directives were given asking students to vacate the premises.
The actions of the Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Mohammed Kudu Santuraki, are being closely scrutinized by the university community. The allegations of connivance in the planned cession of the Bosso Campus to the Niger State Government are serious and require a thorough investigation. The students' concerns about the role of the Pro-Chancellor in the crisis are valid, and the university's Governing Council must take concrete steps to address them. The fact that the Minister of Education is taking the matter seriously is a welcome development, but more needs to be done to restore peace and stability to the university system. The future of the Bosso Campus and the university's assets hangs in the balance, and it is crucial that the interests of the students and the university community are protected.
