There is absolutely no meaningful development on campus that surpasses the general safety of students and properties. This goes to allude the fact that the government and management of higher institutions are ideally hoped to leave no stone unturned in ensuring a serene academic environment that creates room for effective assimilation of whatever is being taught in classrooms.

As a matter of fact, students in Nigerian campuses have over the years been battling with protracted insecurity leading to loss of precious lives and destruction of valuables. Some of the activities fueling insecurity are clashes by cultists, armed-robbery, free for all show by harlots and bloody upheavals by political opponents and unionism desperados.

There is absolutely no meaningful development on campus that surpasses the general safety of students and properties. This goes to allude the fact that the government and management of higher institutions are ideally hoped to leave no stone unturned in ensuring a serene academic environment that creates room for effective assimilation of whatever is being taught in classrooms.

As a matter of fact, students in Nigerian campuses have over the years been battling with protracted insecurity leading to loss of precious lives and destruction of valuables. Some of the activities fueling insecurity are clashes by cultists, armed-robbery, free for all show by harlots and bloody upheavals by political opponents and unionism desperados.

This piece is written primarily to rekindle hope out of despair and to remind those in the helm of affairs to be socially responsible by wholeheartedly encouraging learning in a peaceful atmosphere in order to defeat ignorance and illiteracy in the society.

Apparently irked by the general spate of insecurity on campus, the National president of the student’s wing of Middle Belt Forum Comrade Emmanuel Audu Zopmal on Thursday the 6th of June 2013 expressed utter displeasure and concern to the federal government through the minister of Justice and attorney General of the Federation Mr. Bello Adoke (SAN).

Comrade Zopmal who was accompanied to the meeting by other worried Nigerian students spoke on recent extra-judicial killing of students in the Nasarawa state university recently by some military troops – the protest by students over lack of basic amenities later degenerated into violent clashes with soldiers.

In response, the minister of Justice Mr. Bello Adoke (SAN) said “nobody is happy with these recent developments on campuses. Thus, that of Nasarawa, we have asked the human rights commission to investigate the matter. We have equally asked the police to leave no stone unturned in complementing the efforts of the Human Rights Commission and we are more determined and resolute to bring the perpetrators to book.”

At this juncture, it will be pertinent to note that students are major stakeholders in the education sub-sector. They tend to contribute a lot to the overall development of the society. For this reason, they ought to be protected from dangerous threats. The government of Nigeria must rise above reluctance and not rest on its oars in tackling insecurity on campus.

I remembered vividly when some hoodlums suspected to be cultists invaded the permanent site of university of Jos to unleash terror. The cultists threw the whole campus into confusion and many students ran helter-skelter to scamper for safety. In retaliation, some courageous students chased the invaders and made them meet their waterloo by launching a counter but deadly attack. This is a sad commentary and a step in the wrong direction by some misguided and troublesome elements always fermenting trouble and causing chaos.

If Nigeria must be great and grow to stand tall in the comity of Nations, all Nigerians are encouraged to be more patriotic, transparent and accountable and be more determined to contribute positively towards nation building. It pays to pursue the actualization of a noble cause.

by Dapar Satmak Alexander

Dapar Satmak is a mass communication student of the University of Jos, he writes for ViewPointNigeria from Jos, Plateau state.

He can be reached at the following email address: daparsatmak@yahoo.com

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Insecurity on campus: A depressing challenge by Dapar Satmak Alexander