Tiv/Jukun crisis: Federal University shut indefinitely as militia attack students, lecturers | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
31st July 2019
The Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, has been indefinitely shut following the alleged attack on students and staff of the institution.
Two students and a lecturer all of Tiv extraction were believed to have been killed in the process and that led to a protest by Tiv members of the university community.
The unnamed victims were allegedly killed when suspected Jukun militia men invaded the university campus on Tuesday afternoon.
In recent years, the Tiv and the Jukun ethnic groups had been embroiled in hate crises in both Taraba State and neighbouring Benue State leading to the loss of several lives due to ethnic profiling by parties on either sides.
EduCeleb.com gathered that the development, which had been on and off on several occasions in the university’s host community is affecting it directly for the first time.
Consequently, the management of the institution had ordered for the suspension of all academic activities in the university till further notice.
“The Committee of Deans and Directors of Federal University, Wukari, on behalf of the Senate, has approved the suspension of lectures and closure of the institution till further notice,” a memo signed by the FUWUKARI Registrar, Magaji Thomas Gangumi read in part.
All students were given till  12 noon on Wednesday to leave the University premises.
Gangumi, said that the suspension became important following a protest by the students over the alleged incident. But his statement did not give credence to any killing in the process.
“This follows the protest by students over the kidnapping of their mates along Wukari-Katsina Ala highway on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Abubakar Kundiri, has assured assured staff and students of adequate security measures as they leave Wukari.
Kundiri, a professor, said that apart from school buses, the Chairman of Ukum Local Government in the neighbouring Benue, will send about 10 buses to help evacuate students from the state.
He equally stated that security had also been beefed up by the army and police to ensure that members of academic community left Wukari without any hitch.