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- As House of Assembly moves to address security challenges in the institution
From John Adams, Minna
Niger State owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) Lapai has suspended all academic activities following sustained protests by the students of the institution over the murder of a 300 level student by unknown hoodlums.
Although the University declared Tuesday, 24th June, and Wednesday, 25th June,2025 as lectures free days which it said was in honour of the deceased student, a source close to the institution said the suspension of lectures was as a result of relentless protests by the students who are insisting that a drastic measures must be taken by the university authority to forestall future occurrence.
The University had in a statement by the Deputy Registrar, Information, Alhaji Baba Akote said the decision to suspend academic activities was to observe the period of mourning to allow students and staff to reflect and pray for the repose of the soul of the departed.
Recalled that A 300 level student of the University simply identified as Jafar of the department of chemistry eas reportedly killed by unidentified assailants in the earlier hours of Monday.
The deceased student, the only son of his parents was stabbed to death by his attacker at about 2:30am when the assailants invaded the students private hostels adjacent to the school main gate.
This has however triggered a wide protest by the students who have barricaded the ever busy Lapai-Lambata highway, demanding justice for their late colleague and end to incessant killing in the University.
The students then shot down all academic activities in the school to protest the killing, saying it is unacceptable, the frequent incidences of gruesome murder of innocent students of the University in a similar manner.
However the management of the University in the statement claimed that normalcy has been restored in the University following the protests.
“The management wishes to inform the University community and the general public that normalcy has been fully restored in both Lapai town and the University’s Main and Kobo campuses.
“This development follows a high-level emergency security meeting convened by the University Management and attended by key stakeholders, including the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Hon. Hamidu Muazu Jantabo; the Honourable Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Honourable Abdullahi Adamu Mammagi, Director General Students Affairs; the Alumni Association; the Students’ Union Government (SUG); traditional leaders; and security operatives”.
The University Management denied that the alleged attacks were youths from the host community, saying that such information was false and misleading.
“All students are advised to remain law-abiding, avoid spreading unverified information, and cooperate with security personnel for their own protection and the safety of others”, the statement added.
As a proactive measures, the institution disclosed that there are ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of all members of the University Community and this includes regular security patrols which has been instituted across student lodges and major access points.
Meanwhile the state house of assembly has set up a committee to interface with relevant stakeholders within the university community towards finding a lasting solution to the security situation in the institution.
This follows a motion on matter of urgent public importance brought by the member representing Tafa Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Sani Idris, calling on the state government to intervene in the rising eave of robbery attacks bedevilling students of the university.
According to him “students are increasingly becoming vulnerable to criminal attacks as the spate of robbery, rape and other social vices are becoming alarming”.
