Directives on Student Misconduct and Expulsion

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has directed vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts of tertiary institutions across Nigeria to immediately expel any student found culpable of involvement in kidnapping or related criminal activities. The directive follows a meeting with the Pro-Chancellor, Governing Council, and management of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) in Abuja.

Declaring a zero-tolerance policy for criminality, the minister emphasized that institutions risk entrenching misconduct if they fail to take decisive action. He ordered heads of universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to conduct thorough investigations before dismissals to ensure justice and maintain the integrity of the educational system.

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. Such individuals must be dismissed. Our campuses must never become safe havens for criminal elements.

— Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, Federal Ministry of Education

Intelligence Gathering and Inter-Agency Collaboration

To proactively address security threats, the minister ordered heads of institutions to establish robust internal intelligence systems. This strategy includes strengthening collaborations with the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to prevent criminal activities both on and around campus environments.

Alausa noted that while Nigerian tertiary institutions remain largely safe, recent isolated incidents involving students outside campus boundaries necessitate more sophisticated intelligence gathering. He highlighted ongoing strategic discussions with the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), to improve the Safe Schools Initiative and overall security across educational institutions nationwide.

We have a collective responsibility to protect every Nigerian child, from primary school to tertiary education. While our campuses remain safe, we must continue to strengthen intelligence gathering and work closely with our security agencies to ensure that students are protected both within and outside our institutions.

— Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, Federal Ministry of Education

Infrastructure Development and Funding Support

To bolster physical security, the minister announced that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) 2027 intervention programme will prioritize security infrastructure. This includes the provision of perimeter fencing and other critical security facilities for tertiary institutions. Administrators were urged to submit their requests early for consideration.

Addressing power challenges, the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the Energising Education Programme. In partnership with the Federal Ministry of Power, institutions requiring additional capacity may benefit from expanded solar infrastructure, increased power generation, and improved battery storage systems to ensure stable electricity for learning and research.

Addressing Specific Challenges at FULafia

During the meeting, the Pro-Chancellor of FULafia, Hon. Lola Fibisola Akande, raised concerns regarding inadequate hostel accommodation, power supply issues at the university's Campus II, and rising insecurity. She revealed that recent incidents suggested some students were suspected of involvement in kidnapping activities carried out off-campus.

Akande and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mohammed Isa Kida, reaffirmed the university's opposition to ransom payments, stating that negotiating with criminals only emboldens kidnapping networks. They appealed for the extension of the Energising Education Programme to the university's second campus and requested additional staffing to strengthen administration and security.

In response, Dr. Alausa advised the university management to submit formal proposals through relevant intervention programmes. He reiterated the Tinubu administration's commitment to investing in safer schools and modern infrastructure to ensure campuses remain conducive for academic excellence.