By Gami Tadanyigbe
Gwagwalada (FCT) – The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah has reiterated the university’s commitment in the protection of life and property of students and staff of the institution.
Na’Allah, who made the commitment in the university, during the support project of the Love and Light University of Abuja Alumni Association, U.S. branch, said “security is one of the priorities of the institution’’.
According to him, on Nov. 2, 2021 gunmen invaded the staff quarters of the University of Abuja, abducted six persons, including two professors, a deputy registrar and three families.
“Security is number one, we are very alert and I am determined that the kidnapping incidence of November 2021 will never again repeat itself.
“We are doing everything possible to make sure that such incidence does not happen again in our institution,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alumni made cash donations to the lecturers suffering from impact of the prolonged ASUU industrial strike and the families of the kidnapped victims.
While making the donations, representative of the U.S.- based University of Abuja Alumni Association, Mrs Tracy Kanu-Ejim, reiterated the association’s commitment in supporting university.
“Our mission here is two-fold, first is to carry out an act of goodwill toward the academics of this university who have endured a protracted strike without pay in this period of harsh economic realities.
“We want to appreciate your great spirit of sacrifice and encourage you to continue in the intellectual development of your students.
“We have 54 beneficiaries, 50 lecturers randomly selected on faculty by faculty basis and four families who were victims of the unfortunate kidnapping, a total of 54 lecturers were selected.”
“In just two years of its operation, the alumni association has committed over 50,000 dollars in supporting charity works.’’ Kanu-Ejim.
Tracy called on the government to attend to the demands of ASUU in order to end the prolonged industrial action, urging government to honour agreements reached by ASUU.
“We wish to appeal to the government to find more amicable ways of resolving disagreements without disrupting the educational stability and development this nation.
“Government should develop the political and economic will and adhere to good governance principles in addressing such conditions that reproduce disputes,’’ she said.
In her remarks, Safiya Ismaila-Yero, University of Abuja Head of Alumni Relations, commended the kind gesture of the America arm of the alumni association.
“We are very grateful to the Love and Light Uni-Abuja Alumni Association, U.S. for their generous support,” she said. (NAN)