By Aisha Muhammad Ibrahim
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), Professor Mohammed Isa Kida, has raised the alarm over the soaring cost of accommodation in Lafia, warning that exorbitant rents charged by landlords are pushing indigent students into far-flung, insecure villages where their lives are in grave danger.
Speaking at his maiden media chat with journalists at the University’s Permanent Site, Professor Kida described the situation as a ticking time bomb that requires urgent and collective action by government, parents and landlords.
“The high cost of accommodation around the University community is a major driver of insecurity. When students cannot afford rents near the campus, they are forced to seek cheap, unsecured rooms in remote villages without any security presence. In the process, they become easy prey for kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals,” he said.
He appealed to landlords in Lafia and its environs to show compassion and moderate their rents to levels that indigent students and their struggling parents can afford, stressing that accommodation should not become an obstacle to education.
The Vice-Chancellor also made a passionate appeal to the Federal and State Governments to urgently invest in the construction of more hostel accommodations within Nigerian tertiary institutions, describing on-campus housing as the most reliable guarantee for students’ safety.
“If we truly want to secure our students, we must keep them within our campuses. Hostels offer a controlled, monitored and protected environment. That remains one of the surest ways to curb insecurity in our universities,” he stated.
On immediate security measures, Professor Kida disclosed that his administration has engaged 150 local security personnel and vigilantes to complement conventional security agencies in protecting lives and property of staff and students. He said the operatives, working in close synergy with the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), NSCDC and the Nigerian Army, have been strategically deployed to patrol both campuses, hostels and adjoining communities, especially at night.
He, however, cautioned students to take personal responsibility for their safety by curtailing late-night movements outside the University community.
“Roaming outside the University community at night exposes you to grave danger. Be security-conscious, avoid isolated areas and report any suspicious persons or movements immediately to security agencies,” he advised.
The Vice-Chancellor also decried the alarming rise in cultism and related crimes in tertiary institutions, noting that cult activities, drug abuse and cybercrime have become serious threats to peace and security.
He therefore warned students to steer clear of cultism and all forms of criminality, insisting that FULafia has zero tolerance for such vices.
“Any student found involved in cultism or any form of criminal activity will not only be expelled but will also be handed over to security agencies for prosecution. We will not allow a few misguided individuals to truncate the future of others,” he warned.
Professor Kida reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to working closely with landlords, parents, government, security agencies and the host community to guarantee the welfare, safety and academic success of all students, while commending security agencies in Nasarawa State for their sustained support to the University.
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