….. Ensures Students’ Safety

By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Government has stated that necessary measures,
including adequate security arrangements to guarantee safety of lives of the students and staff, have been put in place for the resumption of academic activities at the Ilesha-Baruba campus of the Kwara State University (KWASU).

This development was sequel to an on-the-spot assessment of the campus and its surrounding community by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu.

During the visit, Hajia Kawu reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring the smooth commissioning and uninterrupted academic activities of the Ilesha Baruba campus, expressing satisfaction with the infrastructure, while commending Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the huge investment in the Ilesha Baruba campus.

She emphasised that the state government would continue to support the institution to ensure its success, reaffirming its commitment to providing an enabling environment for quality education in Kwara State.

Hajia Modibbo Kawu was accompanied by key stakeholders, including the Special Assistant (SA) on Students Affairs to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Hon. Salami Wasiu Onidugbe; the SA on herdsmen, Hajia Aisha Yusuf; Directors from the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Elder Afolayan Joseph Babatunde and Mr. Baki Yahaya.

Also on the entourage were the Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Professor Shaykh Luqman Jimoh, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics, Professor Christiana Olubukola Dada, Bursar, Alhaji Abubakar Sanni, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Professor Friday Apata, Dean, Students Affairs, Professor Abdulrauf Ambali, Director of Works, Engineer Abdulwahab Ayinla, Deputy Director of Works, Engineer Idris Nurudeen, and Director, University Relations, Dr. Saeedat Aliyu, among others.

Speaking at the palace of the Emir of Ilesha-Baruba, His Royal Highness Prof. Haliru Idris Abubakar, Hajia Kawu reiterated that the safety of students remains a top priority of the state government, explaining that the visit, which was prompted by recent security concerns in the community, was aimed at assessing and reinforcing measures to ensure peace and order ahead of the resumption of students.

“We understand the concerns of students and their families, especially following the recent incident in the community. However, we want to assure everyone that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of all Kwarans, including KWASU students. We are working round the clock to ensure a peaceful and secure environment for both staff and students,” she stated.

The Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Prof. Shaykh Lukman Jimoh, who confirmed that the Faculty of Agriculture had initially been scheduled to resume its second semester in April, said, due to the security situation, resumption was postponed, assuring that the faculty is now fully prepared to welcome students to the campus for the upcoming academic session.

In his remarks, the Emir of Ilesha Baruba, Prof. Haliru Idris Abubakar, expressed appreciation to the State government for the steps taken to strengthen security in the community and reassured the visiting team that the community remains peaceful and ready to host the university.

“We understand the concerns regarding security, but we assure you that the community is safe and prepared to host the university. We are confident that students and staff will enjoy a peaceful and conducive environment for academic excellence.

“We also appeal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to formally commission the campus, as the community is eager and fully prepared to receive the institution in every capacity,” the Emir said.

The inspection team also reviewed the state-of-the-art facilities on the campus in preparation for students’ resumption.`1