The management of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State, has shelved a proposed students’ excursion to New Bussa in Niger State following mounting security apprehensions voiced by parents and concerned stakeholders.
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University authorities disclosed that the decision was approved by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai, after a careful assessment of reports surrounding the fragile security climate in the area initially selected for the compulsory eight-week field exercise for Level 400 Fisheries students.
In an official statement released on Thursday by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Affairs, Abdullahi Datti Abdullahi, the institution clarified that the Vice Chancellor had opposed the trip long before public criticism and anxiety gained momentum.
According to the statement, Prof. Yakasai was already conversant with the unsettling security realities in parts of Niger State and immediately dismissed the proposal once it was presented before the university management.
“When the suggestion of taking students to New Bussa surfaced, the Vice Chancellor, having prior knowledge of the security concerns within the area, had already declined the proposal,” the statement explained.
Following the rejection, the Vice Chancellor reportedly instructed the Department of Fisheries to identify a more secure and suitable alternative venue for the mandatory practical exercise. After further consultations, Tiga Dam in Kano State was selected as the replacement location.
“The students will now carry out the compulsory field exercise at Tiga Dam in Kano State,” the statement added.
The university management reaffirmed that the protection, wellbeing, and safety of students remain a non-negotiable priority both within the campus premises and during off-campus academic activities.
Abdullahi stressed that the institution maintains a zero-compromise stance regarding matters capable of exposing students to danger or unnecessary risk.
“The University management never treats students’ safety and welfare with levity, whether on campus or outside the institution,” he stated.
Parents and guardians were also urged to remain calm, as the management insisted there was no arrangement whatsoever to move students to any volatile or unsafe region for academic engagements.
“There is absolutely no plan to take our students to New Bussa or any other insecure location for any school activity,” the statement reassured.
The clarification emerged after growing unease reportedly erupted among families over the proposed excursion involving more than 30 students to Niger State, an area many parents considered vulnerable due to recurring security disturbances affecting parts of the region.
University officials maintained that every academic programme involving students would continue to undergo strict security evaluation before approval, assuring stakeholders that precautionary measures remain firmly embedded in the institution’s operational decisions.
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