The Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Professor Josephine Anene-Okakwa, has called on the government to urgently intervene in addressing the rising security challenges facing the institution.
Gists9ja reports that this appeal follows a protest staged by students last Wednesday over repeated attacks on the school and its students, allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen.
Speaking with News Central on Sunday, Professor Anene-Okakwa attributed the security breaches to the activities of land-grabbers, which she said had made the school vulnerable to invasions by herdsmen.
“The pulling down of the school’s perimeter fence has left the entire campus exposed, making it easy for herdsmen and other unauthorized individuals to enter at will,” she stated. “We have been making relentless efforts to address this, but the situation persists.”
The Provost revealed that she had written a formal petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, detailing the activities of land-grabbers that have led to insecurity within the college. She further disclosed that despite efforts to restrain the alleged land-grabber, who was made to sign an undertaking to desist from encroaching on the school’s land, the individual has continued his activities unabated.
“When I wrote that petition to the Inspector-General of Police, I also copied the Department of State Services (DSS), the Federal Ministry of Education, the Asagba of Asaba, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). I escalated the issue to every relevant authority, hoping that someone would step in to assist us,” she said.
She also noted that in response to the security crisis, she sought assistance from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to construct a new perimeter fence, which is crucial for the safety of both students and staff.
“Yes, we have been actively following up with TETFund, but the major challenge remains the ongoing encroachment. If the land-grabber ceases his activities, then TETFund can proceed with the construction,” she explained.
Furthermore, she disclosed that Delta State Governor had intervened by setting up a committee to investigate the land encroachment and ordered the demolition of illegal structures erected on the college land. However, she lamented that the encroacher has remained defiant.
“The Governor acted by setting up a committee, and they were sent to demolish the illegal structures. But the individual in question has refused to comply. Even as I speak, he continues to pull down our fences with impunity,” she lamented.
Professor Anene-Okakwa reiterated her plea for urgent intervention, stressing that the security of students and staff is at risk. She urged both federal and state authorities to take decisive action to prevent further incursions and restore order within the institution.
