Nasarawa university reports gains against crime near student communities

The Federal University of Lafia in Nasarawa State says it has made significant progress in tackling kidnapping, cultism and other crimes in Mararaba and Akunza, communities where thousands of its students live. Vice-Chancellor Mohammed Isa Kida disclosed this on Monday during an interaction with journalists at the university’s conference hall in Lafia, the state capital. Kida attributed the progress to sustained cooperation with security agencies, including the police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the military.

He said the partnership had helped address recurring security concerns around the university. The university also engaged about 200 volunteer hunters and vigilantes to support professional security agencies through security assistance and intelligence gathering. Kida said the volunteers helped enable faster responses to threats.

He later clarified that more than 150 vigilantes and nearly 50 hunters were on the university’s payroll, alongside other volunteers. The university pays them stipends, although he acknowledged that the number was not enough for the security challenges facing the communities. Kida appealed to journalists in Nasarawa to help expose people involved in kidnapping and cult-related activities.

He said the university had chosen to engage media representatives because of their role in spreading information. Protecting students and staff, he added, remained a priority. He said the university had met with virtually all communities where student accommodation was located and would not allow banditry, cultism or other criminal activity to continue under his leadership.

Kida warned of the consequences of insecurity for students and their families, saying a kidnapping during examinations could create ransom demands that neither parents nor the university might be able to meet.