Alausa orders expulsion of kidnapping students

Etim Ekpimah

Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has directed all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to expel any student found guilty of kidnapping or related criminal activities after due investigation.

Alausa issued the directive during a meeting with the governing council and management of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) in Abuja, stressing that campuses must not become safe havens for criminal elements.

He also instructed vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts to strengthen campus intelligence systems and work closely with security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), to prevent criminal activities within and around educational institutions.

According to the minister, institutions must adopt a zero-tolerance approach to criminality, warning that misconduct can become entrenched if left unchecked.

“If you tolerate bad behaviour for too long, it becomes a culture. Any student found culpable, after due investigation, of planning or participating in the kidnapping of fellow students has no place in our tertiary institutions. Such individuals must be dismissed. Our campuses must never become safe havens for criminal elements,” Alausa said.

The minister noted that although Nigerian tertiary institutions remain largely safe, recent incidents linked to students outside campuses underscore the need for improved intelligence gathering and coordinated security measures.

“We have a collective responsibility to protect every Nigerian child, from primary school to tertiary education. While our campuses remain safe, we must continue to strengthen intelligence gathering and work closely with our security agencies to ensure that students are protected both within and outside our institutions,” he added.

Alausa also disclosed that he had held discussions with security stakeholders aimed at strengthening the Safe Schools Initiative and enhancing security across educational institutions nationwide.

Reaffirming the Federal Government’s position against the payment of ransom, the minister said negotiating with kidnappers only emboldens criminal networks and undermines efforts to tackle insecurity.

To improve campus security, Alausa announced that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) would support security infrastructure projects in tertiary institutions under its 2027 intervention programme, including perimeter fencing and other critical security facilities.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to safer schools, improved infrastructure and a more secure learning environment across the country.