Students and staff members of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT Minna), staged a peaceful protest on Monday to voice opposition to an alleged plan by Governor Umaru Bago to take over the university’s Bosso Campus.
Schoolinfospot gathered that demonstrators from various university unions marched through the campus, displaying placards and chanting slogans to show their dissent.
The protest was reportedly organised in response to plans by the Niger State Government to convert the Bosso Campus into a State University Teaching Hospital. Participants argued that the property is legally owned by the Federal Government and should not be transferred to the state.
Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Bago, Leave Bosso Campus Alone,” “We Will Resist Any Land Grabber,” and “Bago, Be Aware,” signalling their objection to the alleged takeover.
During the demonstration, the Vice Chairman of FUT Minna’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ismail Loyeloke, addressed the crowd, explaining the union’s position.
“The state government has no legal right to seek ownership of the Bosso Campus,” Loyeloke said. “This action is unlawful and we call on relevant authorities to intervene.”
Members of ASUU and students emphasised that the protest was peaceful and aimed at drawing attention to the matter without disrupting academic activities.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Niger State Government were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. The Office of the Deputy Governor confirmed he was unavailable and advised that inquiries be directed to the Commissioner for Health for clarification.
Protest organisers stated that the demonstration represented a collective position of both staff and students regarding the ownership of the campus.
