Low fencing: 50,000 BUK workers, students at risk, says VC

The Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Prof Sagir Abbas, on Saturday, called on the Federal Government to release the monetary provision for fencing the university given the security challenges facing the institution.

The VC made the call during the 38th convocation of the university held at the new site of the university, adding that the Federal Government, in 2023, captured the university in the federal budget by providing some money to start the fencing.

Abbas said, “In 2024 provision for fencing in the university was removed from the budget. We are appealing to the Federal Government to please bring back the monetary provision for fencing the university for security reasons.

“One of the major challenges of the university, especially in the new campus where there is no parameter fencing with almost 50,000 staff and students in its register. Certainly, we cannot afford to toil with the lives of our staff and students.”

According to him, the university has employed the services of the military to provide security at night in the students’ hostel and staff quarters in addition to employing the services of Nigeria hunters and forestry security operatives.

“Their presence on the new campus is beginning to yield positive results. We have increased the number of outsourced security to guard new facilities or replace retired or deceased security personnel. We have increased the number of Civil Defense personnel, especially at the solar plants. We have secured and mounted over 500 solar streetlights. We have applied for 1,000 more.

“The greatest security challenge on the new campus is the lack of perimeter fencing. During the last convocation ceremony the Visitor promised to assist in that regard,” the VC added.