FUT Minna Lecturers, Students Protest Against Niger Govt Plans to Take Over Bosso Campus

By YM Bina

The Lecturers and students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, have stage a peaceful protest against a directive by the Niger State Government ordering its management to vacate its Bosso Campus in the state capital.

The Chairperson of ASUU, FUTMINNA Branch, Professor Luqman Kunle Oyewobi, disclosed that the state government, after issuing a notice of revocation of the lease of the land to the university, moved on Thursday to begin allocation of the land for new projects.

The protesters were carrying different placards with various inscriptions like “Bago, leave Bosso Campus alone,” “Our VC is not a state civil servant, accord him some respect,” and “We will resist every land grabber,” among others.

The ASUU Chairperson emphasized that the university still runs some major departments and laboratories are yet to be moved from the Bosso Campus to its permanent site at Gidan Kwano.

Professor Luqman Oyewobi who led the protesters added that many students and staff still reside in the hostels and staff quarters at Bosso Campus.

He noted that the Niger State Government led by Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has claimed that Bosso Campus was merely leased to the University as a temporary take-off facility, describing the assertion as factually incorrect and historically misleading.

ASUU leader reaffirmed ASUU’s unwavering commitment to defending the integrity, autonomy, and assets of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, stating that the union would pursue all lawful and legitimate avenues to ensure that the Bosso Campus remains under the control and ownership of FUTMINNA as established by federal law.

The pioneer Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Professor Jonathan O. Ndagi, described the attempted to forcefully takeover the campus as a direct affront to academic freedom and an encroachment on the fundamental rights of staff and students to assemble, work, teach, learn, and conduct research in a secure and peaceful environment, rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In their separate interviews, the Vice President of the Students’ Union Government of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Mfon Joseph Jonah, stated that many students residing in the hostels at the Bosso Campus are already living in fear sequel to the vacation order issued by the Niger State Government to the university management.