Expel students involved in kidnapping, FG orders varsities

Nigeria's Federal Government has mandated the immediate dismissal of any university student found guilty of involvement in kidnapping or other violent offenses. Education Minister Tunji Alausa issued this directive, emphasizing that institutions must not serve as havens for criminal elements.

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If you tolerate bad behaviour for too long, it becomes a culture. Any student found culpable, after due investigation, of planning or participating in the kidnapping of fellow students has no place in our tertiary institutions. Such individuals must be dismissed. Our campuses must never be safe havens for criminal elements.

Alausa instructed vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts to bolster internal intelligence networks and enhance cooperation with the Department of State Services and other security agencies. This measure is intended to prevent criminal activities within and around educational campuses.

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Government has a duty to protect innocent citizens and preserve our institutions as centres of learning and excellence.

The minister stressed that tolerating misconduct can foster a negative culture. He stated that students involved in planning or participating in kidnappings have no place in tertiary institutions. Alausa also reiterated President Bola Tinubu's policy against negotiating with or paying ransom to kidnappers, arguing that such actions embolden criminals.

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We have a collective responsibility to protect every Nigerian child, from primary school to tertiary education. While our campuses remain safe, we must continue to strengthen intelligence gathering and work closely with our security agencies to ensure that students are protected both within and outside our institutions.

While acknowledging that Nigerian universities are largely safe, Alausa pointed to isolated incidents involving students off-campus as a reason for strengthening intelligence gathering and security collaboration. He recently met with the Minister of Defence to coordinate a strategy for the Safe Schools Initiative and improve learner protection nationwide.

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Yielding to criminal demands only emboldens criminal elements and undermines national efforts to combat insecurity.