The Kwara State Government has said that all necessary measures have been put in place for the resumption of academic activities at the Ilesha Baruba campus of Kwara State University (KWASU).
The government also assured the public of adequate security arrangements to guarantee the safety of students and staff at the campus.
This development follows an on-the-spot assessment of the campus and its surrounding community by the Honourable Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu.
During the visit, Hajia Kawu reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring the smooth commissioning and uninterrupted academic activities of the Ilesha Baruba campus.
She was accompanied by key stakeholders, including the Special Assistant on Student Affairs to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Hon. Salami Wasiu Onidugbe; the SA on Herdsmen, Hajia Aisha Yusuf; Directors from the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Elder Afolayan Joseph Babatunde and Mr. Baki Yahaya.
Also in the entourage were the Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Professor Shaykh Luqman Jimoh, Deputy Vice ChancellorAcademicProfessor Christiana Olubukola Dada, the Bursar Alhaji Abubakar Sanni, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture Professor Friday Apata, the Dean Student Affairs Professor Abdulrauf Ambali, the Director of Works Engineer Abdulwahab Ayinla, Deputy Director of Works Engineer Idris Nurudeen, Director University Relations Dr Saeedat Aliyu among others.
Speaking at the palace of the Emir of Ilesha Baruba, His Royal Highness Prof. Halidu Ibrahim Abubakar, Hajia Kawu reiterated that the safety of students remains a top priority for the state government.
She explained that the visit was prompted by recent security concerns in the community and aimed at assessing and reinforcing measures to ensure peace and order ahead of the campus resumption.
“We understand the concerns of students and their families, especially following the recent incident in the community. However, we want to assure everyone that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of all Kwarans, including KWASU students. We are working round the clock to ensure a peaceful and secure environment for both staff and students,” she stated.
The Vice Chancellor of KWASU confirmed that the Faculty of Agriculture was initially scheduled to resume its second semester in April. However, due to the security situation, resumption was postponed.
He assured that the faculty is now fully prepared to welcome students to the campus for the upcoming academic session.
In his remarks, the Emir of Ilesha Baruba, Prof. Halidu Ibrahim Abubakar, expressed appreciation to the state government for the steps taken to strengthen security in the community.
He reassured the visiting team that the community remains peaceful and ready to host the university.
“We understand the concerns regarding security, but we assure you that the community is safe and prepared to host the university. We are confident that students and staff will enjoy a peaceful and conducive environment for academic excellence.
“We also appeal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to formally commission the campus, as the community is eager and fully prepared to receive the institution in every capacity,” the Emir said.
The inspection team also reviewed the state-of-the-art facilities at the campus.
The Hon. Commissioner expressed satisfaction with the infrastructure and commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his substantial investment in the Ilesha Baruba campus.
She emphasized that the state government would continue to support the institution to ensure its success, reaffirming its commitment to providing an enabling environment for quality education in Kwara State.
