Insecurity: 500 Armed Security Guards Engage at Thomas Adewumi University in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The authorities of the newly licenced private university, Thomas Adewumi University(TAU), Oko-Irese in Kwara State at the weekend said that it has engaged about 500 armed security guard to secure the institution to ensure the academic excellence of the students.

The engagement of the security personnel by the university according to THISDAY checks might not be unconnected with reported cases of insecurity in some parts of the Kwara South senatorial district where the university is sited and other parts of the country.

Speaking at a press conference to mark the first convocation ceremonies of the institution where six out of the 26 pioneer  students of the university will bag first class honours, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Francisca Oladipo. said that the gesture was part of the efforts to attract more students to the institution and to assist the students to be more focused in their academic pursuits.

She explained that, “I want to say that about 500 soldiers, men of the civil defence corps, vigilante groups and local hunters have been engaged to man the security of our students.

“This is a part of the perimeter fencing of over 300 hectares of land of the university so as to avoid any invasion of the institution.”

Prof. Oladipo added that: “The management of the institution realise the present insecurity in the country which called for such engagement so as to ensure the parents and guardians of the students that adequate security are in place for their children in our school.

“This is also important because our students are residing on the campus of the university 24/7 and we must ensure that all necessary and adequate security arrangements are on ground to ensure effective learning of the students without any hindrance on the campus.”

Speaking further, Oladipo stated that six graduands of the institution would be honoured with first class in its forthcoming first convocation.

She said: “Apart from this, 14 students will graduate with Second Class Honours (Upper Division), 4 with Second Class Honours (Lower Division) and one with a Third Class.

“And these graduates cut across Faculty of Computing and Applied Sciences with eight graduates, and Faculty of Management and Social Sciences with 18 graduates.

“Given the quality of the training that these graduands have received from our university, we are proud to contribute this token of innovators to the Nigerian and global workforce and we have no doubts that they will deliver.”

Professor Oladipo noted further that: “The university was officially licenced by the federal government on April 8, 2021, and began on May 16 of the same year with 13 academic programmes across three faculties.

“The maiden convocation ceremony is not just a celebration of academic achievement but a testament to the hard work, resilience, and dedication of our pioneering students.”

She, however, said the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, would deliver the convocation lecture titled: ‘The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Future of Work: Implications for Nigerian Graduates’, at the event slated for November 26, 2024, on the campus of the institution at Oko-Irese, Kkwara State.