The authorities of the University of Abuja have announced that a committee has been set by the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory and the institution to stop the invasion of herdsmen into the campus areas.
The UniAbuja Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Adikwu, made this known on Monday, while reacting to students’ worry about the invasion of the herdsmen into academic and residential areas.
The students, through the Student Union President, Abdulaziz Ola, had in April said the herdsmen constituted a security risk, noting that students were no longer comfortable with herdsmen on the campus.
The VC said on Monday that there were four grazing locations, where according to the minister, the herdsmen will relocate to, adding that the university was also proposing a meeting with the herdsmen to avoid the students’ residential areas.
He said, “As far as herdsmen are concerned, it is a very difficult thing. What we have done is to write to the security agencies to come and help us. We went to the Gwagwalada Local Government Area and we were told that the herdsmen were brought here because they had communal clashes with natives in other areas.
“I have mentioned this issue to the FCT minister and we have a committee working on it. The minister has also said there is a place called Pai where they will eventually take the herdsmen to. He said there were four grazing sites where the herdsmen would be taken to.
“So, we are hopeful about the relocation. I also mentioned this issue to the present governing council to stimulate the government so that the herdsmen can be removed from our campus.
“I personally will call the head of the herdsmen and talk to them. Even if they want to use our campus, they should move far away from the students’ areas.”
He said, “If we have very strong structures and human capacity is built, then whatever we do will last for a long time.”
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