By Felix Khanoba
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has directed vice chancellors, rectors and provosts of tertiary institutions across the country to immediately dismiss any student found culpable of involvement in kidnapping or related criminal activities after due investigation.
Alausa also instructed the heads of universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to strengthen internal intelligence networks and intensify collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to enhance safety on campuses nationwide.
The directive was issued during a meeting with the Pro-Chancellor, Governing Council and Management of the Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, at the minister’s office in Abuja. The delegation was led by the institution’s Pro-Chancellor, Hon. Lola Fibisola Akande.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Ikharo Attah, discussions at the meeting centred on campus security, infrastructure, student welfare and the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms in the higher education sector.
While acknowledging that most tertiary institutions in the country remain safe, Alausa said recent incidents involving students outside campuses highlighted the need for stronger intelligence gathering and improved coordination with security agencies.
“We have a collective responsibility to protect every Nigerian child, from primary school to tertiary education. While our campuses remain safe, we must continue to strengthen intelligence gathering and work closely with our security agencies to ensure that students are protected both within and outside our institutions,” he said.
The minister disclosed that he recently held a strategic meeting with the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Retired), aimed at strengthening the Safe Schools Initiative and improving the protection of learners across the country.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the leadership and support needed to improve national security while pursuing reforms in the education sector, adding that the administration remains committed to providing quality education in a secure environment.
Alausa also reiterated President Tinubu’s policy that government institutions must neither negotiate with kidnappers nor pay ransom, warning that such actions only encourage criminal activities and weaken efforts to tackle insecurity.
He subsequently directed governing councils and management of tertiary institutions to establish effective internal intelligence structures, maintain close collaboration with security agencies and take firm action against anyone threatening the safety of students.
“If you tolerate bad behaviour for too long, it becomes a culture. Any student found culpable, after due investigation, of planning or participating in the kidnapping of fellow students has no place in our tertiary institutions. Such individuals must be dismissed. Our campuses must never become safe havens for criminal elements. Government has a duty to protect innocent citizens and preserve our institutions as centres of learning and excellence,” the Minister stated.
On infrastructure, the minister announced that the Federal Government would support security enhancement projects in tertiary institutions through the 2027 intervention programme of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), including perimeter fencing and other security facilities. He urged eligible institutions to submit their proposals early for consideration.
He further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding the Energising Education Programme in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Power, explaining that institutions requiring additional electricity could benefit from expanded solar infrastructure and improved battery storage.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia, Hon. Lola Fibisola Akande, commended the minister for his continued support for the institution while outlining challenges facing the university, including inadequate hostel accommodation, electricity supply to Campus Two and security concerns.
She revealed that some students were suspected to have been involved in kidnapping activities carried out outside the campus, adding that recent incidents had raised serious concerns. She maintained that the university opposed the payment of ransom, arguing that doing so would further embolden criminal elements.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mohammed Isa Kida, applauded the minister’s reforms and expressed appreciation for the Federal Government’s support for the institution.
He appealed for the extension of the Energising Education Programme to the university’s second campus and requested additional office accommodation as well as increased staffing to strengthen teaching, research and administrative operations.
Responding, Alausa advised the university management to channel its requests through the appropriate intervention programmes, assuring the institution that projects meeting established requirements and national priorities would receive due consideration.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to investing in safer schools, improved infrastructure and stronger tertiary institutions, stressing that collaboration with security agencies, governing councils and other stakeholders would remain central to ensuring secure campuses and a globally competitive higher education system.
