UNIABUJA VC decries activities of herdsmen, land speculators
Augustine Okezie, Abuja
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Micheal Umale Adikwu, yesterday, in Abuja condemned the activities of herdsmen and land poachers whom he accused of constituting a threat to the security of students, stable academic activities, and the overall growth and development of the university
Adikwu, who stated this in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammadu Bello, said students in the university campus are virtually struggling for space with their cattle which also pollutes the environment and makes it difficult for virile academic activity,
His words: “We were informed that the university land was given to the herdsmen after some fight that earlier took place elsewhere and the herdsmen were displaced. Today, they constitute a threat to our students. Our campus is littered with cattle all day long.”
The VC also solicited for assistance in addressing the issue of massive encroachment on the institution’s 11,000 hectares of land.
He said, “The university land is being encroached on massively in Angwan Dodo, Gwako I and II, Giri village and in Sauka and Sabon-Iddo on the Gwagwalada-Abuja highway.
“The Gwagwalada Area Council is not helping matters as it was providing amenities in the villages, thereby attracting more settlers. The possibility of fencing the university’s land and compensation for the original inhabitants may stem the tide of encroachment.”
Responding, the minister emphasized the need to set up a joint team to identify the areas that belong to the university and promised to issue the Certificate of Occupancy after all proper documentations and relevant payments are made.
The minister however said that the university land was too big for a single institution, saying that land was no longer available in Abuja.
He said “Do you really need 11,000 hectares? Because the reality is that land is no longer available in Abuja and the reality is that no institution will be able to develop the land, and as long as the land is not developed, encroachment will happen,” .
