9th November, 2021
By Richard Elesho/ Lokoja
It’s a case of an unusual problem deserving an unusual solution. The management of the Federal University, Lokoja has engaged the services of 60 hunters to strengthen its security network.
This was made known in Lokoja on Monday by the Vice-Chancellor of the school, Prof Olayemi Akinwumi during a press briefing.
The media interaction was part of activities to mark the commencement of the fifth convocation of the institution, slated for Monday the 8th to Sunday November 14 , 2021.
Akinwumi said the 60 hunters would complement the efforts of the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in providing adequate security in and around the campus.
He added that the students would not be moved to the hostels until the management was satisfied with the security architecture of the institution, saying the topography of the campus called for concern.
“The management of this institution will not toy with the security of students and staff of the university. We have seen what happened just recently in some tertiary institutions in the country where Professors and their children were kidnapped in the campuses.
“We have engaged over 60 hunters and they have mapped out areas where criminals can use as escape route and we will block those areas. Until we are satisfied with the security here in the permanent site of the university, we will not move students to the hostels for now,” he said
Speaking on the convocation, the Vice-Chancellor revealed that 804 graduands would be conferred with degrees and postgraduate diploma, noting that honorary degrees would also be conferred on eminent personalities that have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria.
The Vice-Chancellor, who stated that paucity of funds has been a major challenge of the university, noted that the institution has witnessed tremendous and rapid growth in terms if academic programmes, infrastructure development, research and innovation.