Senate urges FG to deploy critical security to check breaches

The Senate has urged the Federal Government to deploy critical security systems to the University of Maiduguri to ensure full surveillance and detection of security breaches in the institution.

The Senate also called on security agencies to submit to it, a comprehensive plan of action on ways to contain the attacks on the university and assure constant security for it and its host community.

The university had in recent times recorded attacks by the insurgent group, Boko Haram.

The call followed a motion on “the need to avoid imminent disruption of academic activities and closure of the University of Maiduguri due to rising insecurity occasioned by the spate of bomb attacks”.

The motion was sponsored by Sen. Baba Garbai (APC-Borno) during Wednesday’s plenary.

Garbai observed that the insurgents had in recent times adopted the tactics of unbridled suicide bombings targeted at the institution with a view to bringing it to its knees.

“This is a situation we must never allow to happen,” he said.

The lawmaker noted that the unfortunate wave of violence, which had drawn public outcry and condemnations locally and internationally, had heightened fears.

“Unless something urgent is done, the once peaceful and globally competitive centre for multi-cultural research and learning may be converted into another theatre of war,” he said.

In his contribution, Sen. Abubakar Kyari (APC-Borno) noted that the university was a renowned institution that had graduated people from different climes.

“Without urgent steps the destruction of the institution is imminent. This is because the insurgents are still targeting soft targets, especially institutions of learning.

“This particular institution has never shut its door during the insurgency, let alone after the insurgency has been taken care of to a certain level. There is need to construct secured fence for the school.

“The motion is apt,” Kyari said.

Similarly, Chairman, Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TetFund, Sen. Jibrin Barau, supported that it was necessary to secure the university

“Government should put certain facilities that will not allow them continue to attack this institution as well as inform the native authority to keep an eye on what is happening there to prevent the attacks,” Barau said.

Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, said “this is an emergency for us.

“It is an educational institution that we need to secure, because so long as the borders remain open and unfenced, Boko Haram insurgents will continue to cause mayhem.

“TetFund should set aside a special fund for the fencing of the remaining parts of the institution,” Lawan said.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, described the situation as “disturbing’’.

“The university has been a symbol of courage for our people, students and management throughout the period of the Boko Haram insurgence.

“Symbol of victory has been the normalcy that the university has shown in spite of the level of insurgency and attacks on it.

“As government and people, we must ensure that normalcy is restored and that the students who are the softest target can continue their education,” Saraki said.

He directed the Chairman of TetFund to ensure that the Minister of Education and TetFund took action quickly to address and provide the necessary security to the institution.