Maiduguri varsity develops programmes to tackle insecurity — VC

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Professor Aliyu Shugaba, says that the institution has developed several academic programs to help combat insecurity.

Shugaba made this known when he appeared on the Nigerian News Agency forum in Abuja.

He said that the region had faced the problems of insecurity in the last 12 years, noting that by taking office in 2019, he was able to safeguard the school environment.

According to him, the last two and a half years have been hectic at the university with achievements here and there.

“We have been able to record some successes even in difficult areas.

“I want to say that one of our biggest challenges in the last 12 years is the problem of insecurity,” he said.

He also said that he made sure that all the reports that had been submitted to the federal government on the issue of security and the perimeter fence of the school were followed up on.

`ʻI was very lucky that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the funds to build the fence and also to put some security devices inside the university campus.

“This is to be able to handle the issue of insecurity that is always harassing us.

“The security devices have been installed successfully and we are using them to monitor certain things,” he said.

Shugaba said that due to the challenges of insecurity, the institution started the processes of development projects, infrastructure and academic development.

According to him, so many projects have come up within the university including classrooms, student hostels and road construction.

The Vice Chancellor thanked well-intentioned Nigerians for their role in development projects within the school environment.

He praised Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, founder of Oriental Energy Resources, and Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group for building innovation centers at the institution.

According to Shugaba, there are ongoing projects, like the one donated by BUA, costing more than a billion naira to build an innovation center and other things.

“We have also created a center for the study of violent extremism; we have also devised an expanded center for energy research and training.

“We have come up with so many programs, including B.Sc Biotechnology, B.Sc Nutrition and Dietetic, and many other degree programs that we feel are necessary for college.

“We came up with an environmental studies college that was looking to incorporate Architecture, Building Engineering and many other programs.

“ The most important thing is also that we have some intervention projects even from individuals and agencies like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that provided the entire Department of Oil and Gas Engineering.

“Individuals like Alhaji Mohammed Indimi have also provided us with a structure that will now house the Distance Learning Center as well as the Business School and our affiliated universities,” he said.

He promised that other projects undertaken would soon be completed.