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The Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology, FUT, Minna, Niger State, has assured students and the university community that there is no plan to cede its Bosso Campus to the Niger State Government.
The assurance came as protesting students stormed an emergency meeting of the council held at the Gidan-Kwano campus along the Minna–Bida road.
Addressing the students, an external member of the Governing Council, Pastor Timothy Ademola, described reports of a planned handover of the Bosso campus as misinformation saying, “If anyone told you that the Governing Council is going to give out Bosso campus, I want to assure you that it is not true”
Ademola explained that the emergency meeting was only convened by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr. Mohammed Kudu Santuraki, to brief members on the crisis surrounding the Bosso campus.
“This council will stand on the side of integrity and the law. We have a name to protect. We are not ceding or giving out any of our assets. The Federal Ministry of Education is taking the matter seriously, ” he stated.
A representative of the Minister of Education, Mrs. Elizabeth Emma-Egoro, who attended the meeting on behalf of the Minister, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the minister was not taking sides in the dispute.
“I want to assure you that the Honourable Minister is committed to peace, integrity, and stability in the university system. He has your interest at heart,” she said.
Also speaking, the National President of the FUT Minna Alumni Association, Prof. Shola S. Gabriel, appealed for calm, urging students to allow the council meeting to proceed.
“This situation is like someone trying to inherit your property while you are still alive. Let us remain calm and allow due process,” he noted.
However, student leaders expressed strong reservations over the role of the Pro-Chancellor in the ongoing crisis on the Bosso campus.
The President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Comrade Adaidu Ezekiel Machofo, and the Senate President, Comrade Dosunmu Abdulmadam, accused the Pro-Chancellor and chairman Governing Council of alleged connivance in moves to share or cede the campus to the state government.
They cited a recent meeting in Abuja convened by the Minister of Education following the escalation of the crisis, including the alleged invasion of the Bosso campus on February 26, 2026, and directives asking students to vacate the premises.
According to the students, Dr. Santuraki’s conduct at the Abuja meeting raised concerns about his allegiance, alleging that he initially aligned with the Niger State delegation led by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago before he was directed to join the university’s team.
They further accused the Pro-Chancellor of failing to protect the university’s assets and called for his immediate removal, warning that his continued stay in office could endanger the institution.
“We will vehemently resist any attempt by any authority to cede or share the Bosso campus with another institution,” the student leaders insisted.
In a related development, the chairperson Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), FUT Minna chapter, Prof Luqman Kunle Oyewobi, also raised concerns over the handling of the dispute arguing that a review of the ownership issues surrounding the Bosso campus indicated a departure from established legal and institutional procedures.
He maintained that the Federal Ministry of Education must act within the framework of the law and in line with the regulatory role of the National Universities Commission (NUC), warning that any “co-sharing” arrangement not backed by law could undermine university autonomy and set a dangerous precedent.
Oyewobi also expressed concern over alleged threats to the Vice-Chancellor, warning that political interference could destabilize the institution while calling on relevant authorities, including the Presidency and the National Assembly, to ensure that due process is followed and the autonomy of federal universities is protected.
The crisis over the Bosso campus has heightened tensions within the university community, with students, staff, and stakeholders insisting that the institution’s assets must not be compromised.
No plan to cede or share Bosso campus – FUT Minna Governing Council amid student’s protest
