Plight of the University of Maiduguri
Boko Haram bombers again attacked the University of Maiduguri yesterday. In the last six months, these terrorists have attacked the university nine times, killing innocent people, including a professor of veterinary medicine, Aliyu Usman Mani. Never in the history of this institution has this much pain been inflicted on its staff and students. It is even more disheartening that no single top official of the federal government deemed it necessary to pay a solidarity visit to the university. Where is the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu? He is simply sleeping while precious human lives are being wasted at this university. Adamu’s inaction on the precarious security situation in this school is giving a boost to Boko Haram’s ideology. The Buhari administration has clearly failed the staff and students of the University of Maiduguri.
It should be noted that the terrorists did not even stray into the school during the peak of the insurgency between 2009 and 2015. So, what went wrong? I guess government and the managers of the university did not prepare for this eventuality. There was nothing like perspective planning despite the raging insurgency around the school. They unwisely thought that the terrorists would never get to them. The FG has also not been proactive in responding to the challenges. It is depressing to note that the FG refused to provide funds needed to procure modern security equipment and build a perimeter fence at the varsity. The borders of this university are wide open. As a result, Boko Haram bombers stroll in with ease and kill people. A bigger accident is waiting to happen. Honestly, this university should be shut until the FG provides all the necessities for protecting life and property. Dr. Dani Mamman, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of the university noted: “The FG has been insensitive to the plight of students and parents that lost loved ones.” Senator Baba Kaka Garbai’s motion on Thursday, calling on the FG to do the needful for the university is soothing. Our Education Minister must swiftly make amends.