Nasarawa gov directs IMAP rector to fish out perpetrators of violent protests

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has directed the Rector of the Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic (IMAP), Lafia, Dr Justina Anjide Kotso, to fish out all those involved in the recent students’ unrest, which led to the destruction of property at the institution irrespective of their social status.

Engineer Sule handed down the directive shortly after inspecting the level of destruction at the polytechnic, on Friday.

The visibly angry governor warned that his administration will not condone any act capable of taking the state backwards, considering all the efforts by the government to turn around the education sector.

Recall that students of the state-owned polytechnic undertook a violent protest, on Thursday, leading to the vandalization of the ICT centre, all the boreholes in the school, academic office, as well as the central administrative block, among others.

According to the Governor, his administration will not take the situation lightly, since education remains a cardinal objective of the government, especially technical education, which has the potential to impact skills on youths in the state towards self-reliance.

“It’s unfortunate that we are having this problem at a time we are supporting education. It has taken us some steps backwards. But we are determined not to allow anybody to take us back. We will continue to do our best,” he stated.

While describing the actions of the students as unnecessary and uncalled for, Engineer Sule called on the Students’ Union Government at the institution, to assist the school authority, by fishing out those suspected to have masterminded the protest.

“We are all students at one point or the other, if we had destroyed all the institutions, which institutions will some of you attend? Whoever has done this, does not mean well for the students, as well as Nasarawa State,” the Governor said.

Engineer Sule further described the actions of the students as unfortunate, especially at a time when his administration is working tirelessly to change the narrative regarding the educational backwardness of the state.

The Governor equally warned fraudulent staff of the institution, who may have masterminded the destruction of the ICT centre, in their selfish bid to sustain the use of fake receipts, stressing that his administration will not condone such acts.

Engineer Sule then directed that the institution remain closed for not more than one week, pending the outcome of ongoing investigations, as well as giving the authority of the institution to restore the water supply back for use of students.

“My own children have finished school, they are not going to school here. It’s not about me. It’s about the poor person who cannot afford to send his child anywhere else but this school. And they are destroying the future of that children,” he added.

Earlier, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bola Longe, disclosed that so far, 27 students have been arrested in connection with the protest, assuring that only those found to have actively engaged in the violent protest, will be sanctioned.

The Governor was shown round the school by the Rector of the institution, Dr Justina Anjide Kotso, in the company of the members of the Governing Council of the polytechnic, led by its Chairman, Dr Sani Mohammed-Bako, among others.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Nasarawa gov directs IMAP

COVID-19: Nigeria Close To ‘Flattening The Curve’ ― Analysis

Nigeria may be close to flattening the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic as confirmed cases in the country keep dropping weekly, Tribune Online analysis has shown. This is even as the much-expected COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory last Tuesday…Nasarawa gov directs IMAP