Education: FUT Minna Lecturers, Students Protest State Government Planned Campus Takeover
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, and the students have protested the purported plan by the Niger State government to take over the Bosso campus of the university.
The lecturers and students claimed that the state government has requested the management of the university to vacate the Bosso campus and therefore protested against the plan
The chairman of FUT Minna chapter of ASUU, Prof. Luqman ‘Kunle Oyewobi, said the state government, has issued notice of revocation of the lease of the land to the university and begun allocation of the land for new projects.
Oyewobi leading the protesters carrying placards with inscriptions such as “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, explained that the university has academic programmes still ongoing at the campus
He said there were core academic activities still ongoing and students as well as staff still reside in the hostels and staff quarters at the campus. despite movement of most of the programmes to the main campus at Gidan Kwano , Minna.
According to him, “The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), FIT Minna branch, wishes to draw the attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the National Assembly, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the university community, civil society organisations, and the general public to what it considers a desperate attempt by the Niger state government to lay claim to the Bosso campus of FUT Minna under circumstances that lack transparency, due consultation, and relevant constitutional provisions.
“The Bosso campus is not idle land. It houses critical academic and administrative infrastructure that supports teaching, research, student accommodation, and essential services. Any disruption to its ownership or operational control will directly affect thousands of students, academic staff, non-teaching staff, and their families. It will undermine ongoing academic programmes and the successes recorded by the university in research, teaching, and community service in recent times,” he added.
