In an effort to find lasting solutions to the clash between the students of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai and youths of the area, an expanded security meeting has been held at the palace of the Emir of Lapai, Umar Bago Tafida III.
The discussions centred on recent student-related disturbances, examining their root causes and evaluating effective steps to avoid future occurrences, aimed at reopening the institution as soon as possible.
At the expanded security meeting, the commissioner for Homeland Security, Brigadier General Bello Abdullahi, retired, used the medium to condole and sympathise with both the Emirate and the university management over the incident that led to the death of the 200-level student, Abdulwahab Jafar.
General Abdullahi identified some root causes of the incidents as extravagant lifestyles of some students, which attract undesirable elements, communication gap between key stakeholders and lack of cooperation from the school to verify the identity of bona fide students of the institution, as well as parental factors.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Elleman, assured that an intelligence-led investigation is being carried out to ensure that perpetrators of the crimes in the area are arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
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He expressed satisfaction with the level of security in Lapai town after the deployment of the crack team to maintain law and order and advised on the community policing strategy going forward.
At the end of the meeting attended by the emirate council members, council chairman, top government officials, the school management, security personnel, student union members amongst others, the possible solutions proffered include; presence of security operatives in the school for immediate intervention, improvement on the relationship between the community, the school and the students.
Others are protection of off-campus lodges by landlords and cooperation between landlords and the school authorities, as well as in-house clearance by the school to fish out non-students such as expelled/withdrawn ones and use of surveillance for intelligence gathering.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
