Minister of Education Tunji Alausa on Tuesday ordered Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts to dismiss any student found, after proper investigation, to have participated in kidnapping or related crimes.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications Ikharo Attah, the Minister urged heads of all tertiary institutions to deepen cooperation with security services to protect campuses.
Minister Alausa told the governing council and management of the Federal University of Lafia that institutions must strengthen internal intelligence and work more closely with the Department of State Services and other security agencies.
According to Attah, Minister Alausa made the remarks during a meeting with the University delegation led by Pro-Chancellor Dr. Adebimpe Adebajo in Abuja.
While saying that most Universities, Polytechnics,and Colleges of Education are “largely safe,” Dr. Alausa said recent off-campus incidents involving students demand closer vigilance.
“We have a collective responsibility to protect every Nigerian child,” he said, adding that yielding to ransom demands only emboldens criminals.
Alausa said that he recently met with Defence Minister Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.) to develop a coordinated strategy for the Safe Schools Initiative.
He also credited President Bola Tinubu with providing political will and resources for security and education reforms.
The Minister directed governing councils to set up effective internal intelligence units and to take “decisive action” against anyone who threatens student safety.
He warned that tolerating misconduct risks turning it into institutional culture and said dismissed students have “no place in our tertiary institutions.”
Turning to infrastructure, Minister Alausa said the federal government would back security upgrades through TETFund’s 2027 intervention programme, including perimeter fencing and other facilities, and urged eligible institutions to apply early.
He also reaffirmed plans to expand the Energising Education solar programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Power to increase generation and battery storage where needed.
Alausa asked the University to submit formal proposals under relevant intervention programmes and said projects meeting requirements and national priorities would be considered.
“The federal government will continue to invest in safer schools, stronger institutions and modern infrastructure,” Minister Alausa said, pledging ongoing collaboration with security agencies and governing councils to keep campuses safe and to promote quality teaching and research.
At the meeting, Pro-Chancellor Adebajo praised the Minister’s support and highlighted challenges at the Federal University of Lafia including student accommodation shortages, power problems on a second campus and security concerns.
She said some students were suspected of being involved in kidnappings carried out off campus and discouraged any payment of ransom.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohammed Isa Kida thanked the Minister for reforms and requested extension of the Energising Education programme to the university’s second campus, along with additional office space and staff.
