Education

How the Fear of bandits, kidnappers make students avoid hostels accomodation, says Kogi varsity VC

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 17th, 2024.

How the Fear of bandits, kidnappers make students avoid hostels accomodation, says Kogi varsity VC

Students Shun Hostels Due to Security Concerns, Says Kogi University VC

Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja in Kogi State, has highlighted a growing issue: students are avoiding hostel accommodations due to fears of bandit and kidnapper activities. This concern was raised by the Chairman of the House Committee on University Education, Abubakar Fulata, in a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja.

During a recent oversight visit to the university, the committee observed that the institution’s two hostels, which can house up to 500 students, were largely unoccupied. Prof. Akinwumi expressed that the university administration is hesitant to allocate these hostels because of the potential threat from kidnappers and bandits.

This fear is not unfounded. In May, several students from Kogi State University were kidnapped, with two tragically losing their lives. The lack of a perimeter fence around the campus exacerbates the vulnerability to such attacks, prompting the university to restrict student access to hostel facilities.

Prof. Akinwumi lauded the committee’s visit and appealed for assistance to address the pressing challenges faced by the university. He pointed out that both infrastructure deficiencies and security concerns are significant hurdles to the institution’s operation. Additionally, he noted difficulties in recruiting qualified faculty and staff.

In response, Mr. Fulata assured that the committee would support the university in improving its infrastructure to facilitate research, teaching, and learning. He emphasized the urgency of addressing security issues and pledged to involve relevant agencies and committees to provide the necessary aid.

“The unique location of the university presents serious challenges, and we are committed to helping it overcome these obstacles. Security is a major concern, and we will take necessary steps to assist the university community, which lives in constant fear of bandits and kidnappers. Most staff and students do not stay on campus beyond 6 p.m. due to these threats,” Mr. Fulata stated.

Furthermore, Mr. Fulata cautioned that while the lawmakers support the university’s revenue generation efforts, any expenditure of generated funds must be properly appropriated to avoid legal infractions.