In a major policy enforcement aimed at curbing campus-linked insecurity, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has instructed vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts of all federal and state higher institutions to enforce immediate expulsions for students linked to kidnapping networks. ​
The directive was officially communicated via a statement by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, following a high-level, two-hour security meeting held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, August 3, 2026 (and publicly announced on Tuesday, August 4. ​
The meeting was convened with the Governing Council and Management delegation of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia), Nasarawa State, led by the university’s Pro-Chancellor, Hon. Lola Akande. ​
During the discussions, Hon. Akande revealed growing concerns regarding off-campus crime, noting that internal investigations pointed toward suspected involvement of certain students in recent off-campus abductions.
She emphasized FULafia’s firm alignment with federal anti-kidnapping directives, particularly the prohibition against paying ransoms, which only serves to fund further criminal acts. ​
To prevent academic institutions from being exploited as operational bases for criminal syndicates, the Ministry outlined key security measures; School administrations must construct dedicated internal surveillance networks to detect and neutralize threats before they escalate.
Institutions are mandated to establish direct, real-time communication channels with state commands of the Department of State Services (DSS) and other law enforcement agencies and most importantly, all institutions must strictly adhere to President Bola Tinubu’s directive barring state agencies and schools from negotiating with or paying ransoms to kidnappers.
The Ministry of Education is actively coordinating with the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), to integrate tertiary institutions into the national Safe Schools Initiative. Physical safety infrastructure, such as perimeter fencing, electronic monitoring, and campus illumination, will receive priority funding through the 2027 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) intervention cycle. ​
Speaking on behalf of the university’s leadership, FULafia Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mohammed Isa Kida pledged full compliance with the Federal Government’s zero-tolerance stance, while requesting additional infrastructure support and energy access through the Energising Education Programme to enhance overall safety across the institution’s campuses.
