FUT Minna Lecturers, Students Reject Takeover Of Bosso Campus

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, and students have protested the purported plan by the Niger State government to take over the university’s Bosso Campus.

The lecturers and students claimed that the state government had requested the university’s management to vacate the Bosso Campus and therefore protested the plan.

The chairman of FUT Minna chapter of ASUU, Prof. Luqman ‘Kunle Oyewobi, said the state government, has issued notice of revocation of the lease of the land to the university and begun allocation of the land for new projects.

Oyewobi leading the protesters carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Bago, leave Bosso Campus alone,” “Our VC is not a state civil servant, accord him some respect,” and “We will resist every land grabber,” among others, explained that the university has academic programmes still ongoing at the campus

He said there were core academic activities still ongoing and students as well as staff still reside in the hostels and staff quarters at the Campus despite movement of most of the programmes to the main campus at Gidan Kwano, Minna.

According to him “The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), FIT Minna  Branch, wishes to draw the attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the National Assembly, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the university community, civil society organisations, and the general public to what it considers a desperate attempt by the Niger State Government to lay claim to the Bosso Campus of FUT Minna  under circumstances that lack transparency, due consultation, and relevant constitutional provisions.

“The Bosso Campus is not idle land. It houses critical academic and administrative infrastructure that supports teaching, research, student accommodation, and essential services. Any disruption to its ownership or operational control will directly affect thousands of students, academic staff, non-teaching staff, and their families. It will undermine ongoing academic programmes and the successes recorded by the university in research, teaching, and community service in recent times” he added.

The ASUU chairman said Bosso Campus was legally acquired by the Federal University of Technology, Minna, that was established by an Act of the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1983 positing that the land and infrastructure of the University were federal assets held in trust for national educational development.

Oyewobi said any attempt by a state authority to appropriate, annex, or assume control over such property without due constitutional and legal process constitutes a grave violation of the law.

He explained that contrary to the claim that the Bosso Campus was merely leased to the University as a temporary take-off facility was historically misleading, recalling that

“At its inception, the Bosso premises was a Roman Catholic missionary school known as St. Malachy College. The property was subsequently handed over to the Niger State Government, which was converted into Government Teachers’ College, Bosso.

The ASUU chairman said in 1983, following extensive consultations and mutual agreement between the Federal Government and the Niger State Government, the premises was formally allocated to the FUT Minna as its take-off campus.

He, however, said an agreed sum was paid to the Niger State Government, leading to a complete transfer of proprietary interest and ownership rights in the property to the Federal Government for the use of FUT Minna.

He recalled that “The offer of two million, eight hundred thousand naira (N2,800,000.00) was accepted, and an agreement was reached at a joint meeting involving representatives of the Niger State Ministries of Education and Works, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the Federal University of Technology, Minna. A careful review of archival materials by the Niger State Government would have clarified the legal position and fostered a more constructive and informed engagement on this matter.”

Also speaking the Vice President of the Students’ Union Government of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Mfon Joseph Jonah, said the forceful takeover of the campus was making the students to be apprehensive saying that they were against such moves.