The Federal University Dutse in Jigawa State has sought the support of the Jigawa State Police Command to tackle emerging cult-related activities and other anti-social behaviour among some of its students.
The appeal was contained in a statement made available to journalists in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam.
According to the statement, the newly posted Commissioner of Police, CP Tijjani Murtala, received the Vice-Chancellor, Senate, management and staff of the university during a courtesy visit to the Command Headquarters in Dutse.
Adam said, “The delegation was led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ahmad Muhammed Gumel, who was at the Command to formally welcome and congratulate the Commissioner on his appointment.”
Prof. Gumel, according to the statement, expressed confidence in the leadership and professional experience of CP Murtala and emphasised the need to sustain the cordial relationship between the university and the police.
He said the partnership was crucial in the areas of security, intelligence sharing, crime prevention and protection of lives and property.
However, the statement said the Vice-Chancellor had during the visit “raised concern over what he described as a relatively new trend in the university – the emergence of cult-related practices and other forms of anti-social behaviour among some students.”
He said the development required collective and proactive intervention before it became entrenched.
Prof. Gumel stressed the need to promote sound moral conduct, discipline, academic excellence and responsible citizenship among students.
He noted that “a safe and peaceful academic environment is essential for teaching, learning and research,” and called for enhanced security presence around the university community and its environs.
Responding, the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijjani Murtala, thanked the Vice-Chancellor and his team for the visit and the warm reception accorded him since his arrival in the state.
The Commissioner assured the delegation that “the Command places high premium on the security of educational institutions and will continue to work closely with the university to safeguard students and staff.”
He expressed concern over the reported cult-related activities and said “the Command would adopt a preventive, intelligence-led and community-oriented approach to address the challenge.”
CP Murtala urged the university authorities to strengthen internal mechanisms for the early identification and reporting of suspicious activities.
He therefore emphasised that “security is a shared responsibility, requiring effective collaboration among the police, university authorities, students, parents and community leaders.”
The Commissioner called for the timely sharing of credible information to enable a swift response to potential threats.
He further underscored that universities must remain centres of learning, character formation and positive development rather than breeding grounds for criminality and social vices.
The statement added that “CP Murtala assured of sustained engagement with the university through patrols, visibility policing, intelligence gathering and other appropriate security measures, while the meeting ended with both parties reaffirming commitment to deepening collaboration to keep the university safe and conducive for academic activities.”
