KADUNA: ABU assures students, staff of adequate security as school resumes

AUTHORITIES  of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, on Saturday assured students and the staff of adequate security as academic activities commence in the institution on Monday.

The assurance became necessary following the growing insecurity in Kaduna State where the ivory tower is located.

Kaduna has recently become the hotbed of banditry, killings and allied indices of insecurity, even displacing Zamfara which used to be the epicentre of insecurity in the Northwestern part of the country.

But allaying the fears of parents, students and staff of the university, the Chief Security Officer of the institution, Mallam Ashiru Zango, said measures had been put in place to address the disturbing issue of kidnapping in the university.

Zango made the assurance while speaking with newsmen on Saturday.

He explained that  the security division of the institution has set up modalities to contend with security challenges within and outside the campuses for conducive teaching and learning as the school reopens.

He recalled that on January 20, the police paraded a 4-man kidnapping gang who were allegedly terrorising lecturers, students, and other residents of the foremost university.

Among those arrested were security personnel of the university allegedly caught collaborating with outsiders to kidnap staff at the university.

He said, “The principal suspects are Abubakar Yakubu, (A.K.A Dogo), who is a commercial motorcycle rider, and Abubakar Aliyu (A.K.A. Abubakar Maigiwa) security personnel with the Ahmadu Bello University.

“The two suspects live at Biye a community behind the Main Campus of the Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria.

“The third suspect is Isiyaka Kabiru (A.K.A. Isiya Mugu), he also lives at Sabon Pegin Biye behind the ABU Main Campus Samaru Zaria. The suspect is accused of being the informant/agent.

“While the fourth suspect is Aliyu Bello (A.K.A. Ali Siniya). He lives at Rafin Tukurwa behind ABU Phase II, around Kudingi. He was also suspected of being an accomplice to the principal suspects.

“While being paraded by the police, the principal suspects admitted that their team kidnapped three people from ABU.

“They added they did not know the names of their victims but there is a mother with her son and a Doctor.

“They mentioned Sanusi, Maikudi, Shuaibu, as their collaborators. He added that the collaborators reside in the bush around Galadimawa.”

However, the Chief Security Officer of the university said the institution was yet to receive an official report from the police, adding that he would comment on the matter when he received the police report.