By Peace Udugba
The Federal Government has directed all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country to expel any student found guilty of kidnapping or other criminal activities after due investigation.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, gave the directive during a meeting with the Pro-Chancellor, Governing Council and management of the Federal University of Lafia in Nasarawa State.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, Alausa said tertiary institutions must not become safe havens for criminal elements.
He urged governing councils and school managements to strengthen collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to improve intelligence gathering and enhance security on campuses.
“If you tolerate bad behaviour for too long, it becomes a culture. Any student found culpable, after due investigation, of planning or participating in the kidnapping of fellow students has no place in our tertiary institutions,” the minister said.
He stressed that students involved in kidnapping must be dismissed, insisting that campuses should remain safe environments for learning.
Alausa noted that while Nigerian tertiary institutions remain largely safe, recent incidents involving students outside school premises underscore the need for stronger security coordination and intelligence sharing.
“We have a collective responsibility to protect every Nigerian child, from primary school to tertiary education,” he said.
The minister disclosed that he recently met with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to strengthen the Safe School Initiative and improve security across educational institutions nationwide.
He also reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s directive that government institutions must neither negotiate with nor pay ransom to kidnappers, warning that such actions encourage criminality and undermine efforts to combat insecurity.
Alausa further directed tertiary institutions to establish effective internal security and intelligence systems, maintain close ties with security agencies and promptly deal with individuals who pose security threats.
He announced that the Federal Government would support security projects in tertiary institutions through the 2027 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention, including perimeter fencing and other critical security infrastructure.
He urged eligible institutions to submit their requests early to benefit from the intervention, adding that schools facing electricity challenges could also access government support for expanded solar power facilities with improved battery storage.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia, Prof. Lola Akande, said the institution was facing challenges including inadequate hostel accommodation, poor electricity supply to its second campus and security concerns.
She disclosed that investigations revealed that some students of the university were allegedly linked to recent kidnapping incidents outside the campus, adding that the institution maintains a strict policy against paying ransom for abducted students.
