Management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi has shut down its academic activities for one week over a protest, embarked upon by students, over the killing of a final year Geology student.
Joseph Agabaidu was reportedly murdered by suspected armed robbers.
Speaking with journalists on Monday, Zailani Bappa, Director Media unit of the university, said the decision was taken in order to prevent violence by the students following a peaceful protest over the death of one of them.
According to him, all students were directed to immediately vacate the Campus in Yelwa and Gubi.
He added that the management will open the school when the students come back to ‘their senses’.
He said, “This is to announce that ATBU has been closed down immediately from today, (Monday), 4th December, 2023. The closure is for one week initially to see how the students will behave well.
“Security Department of the university has been directed to ensure that the students leave the two premises immediately and close all the hostels. If any student refuses to leave the campus, measures will be taken against such.”
Zailani added that “for the sake of clarity, the said student was murdered, though a student of the university, he was staying outside the campus and the university has limited knowledge of students outside the campuses.”
He continued, “The Security Department as soon as it got the information of the murder, reported to the Police for proper investigation the institution has done what it is expected to do.”
Zailani Bappah assured that the university management is ready to collaborate with the security agents to unravel the circumstances surrounding the cause of the murder.
“In spite of the efforts of the management to douse the tension and allow Police to investigate and get to the bottom of the master, the Students refused to be pacified threatening to go violent,” he said
He assured that the management will continue to take adequate care of the welfare of the students urging them to cooperate with the management in that regard.
Zailani Bappah said, “It is hoped that before the end of the one week closure, the Students must have calmed down, tension gone down and normalcy returned.”
