Apparently disturbed by the security situation in Jos, the management of the University of Jos has initiated dialogue with staff and students on how to guarantee the well-being of members of the university community in the face of current challenges.
Addressing staff and students at different dialogue sessions, Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Sonni Tyoden said management was concerned about the safety of staff and students and was introducing some security measures in this regard.
He expressed grief that the institution suffered some casualties in the Christmas Eve bomb blast and the recent violence in the city saying everything would be done by management to avoid such losses.
He said more security personnel would be stationed at the gates to the institution and at the students’ hostels but stressed the need for all to be security conscious and vigilant, as well as bear with the inconveniences of the new security measures, such as the checking of car booths.
At the meeting with the students, the vice chancellor gave the following security tips:
- Do not entertain strangers
- Do not move alone
- Be conscious of your environment
- Report any strange presence to the school security
- Always have your identification card handy
He said normal academic activities would resume on Monday January 17.
At the two parleys, staff and students expressed concerns about inadequate security presence on the different campuses, the need for more hostels to enable majority of students live on campus, provision of buses to convey students from hostels to school and market as well as, the erection of a bridge to connect the Village Hostel to Abuja Hostel.
Tyoden promised that management would look into the various issues with a view to implementing those immediately feasible.
Renewed violence was sparked off in the city following the Christmas Eve bomb blasts in two locations which claimed scores of lives and injured several others.
Apart from occasional loss of some staff and students to the recurring violence, the university’s academic calendar is often disrupted. It recently had to cancel an academic session after it had lagged behind other institutions for years because of such disruptions.
By Sarah Idoko
