Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Tension flared at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, as angry students reportedly locked the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Faruk Adamu Kuta, out of the main gate of the Gidan-Kwano campus in a dramatic protest against worsening insecurity and repeated robbery attacks on students.
According to eyewitness accounts, the students, frustrated by what they described as the university management's failure to address the growing threat of armed robbery and violent attacks on and off campus, barricaded the main entrance, preventing the Vice-Chancellor from gaining access to the university premises.
The protest came just hours after a fresh robbery incident in the Gidan-Kwano community, where armed men reportedly attacked students and residents, carting away valuables. It was the latest in a series of attacks that have left students and staff living in fear.
A student who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said: "We are tired. Every day, students are being robbed, attacked, and threatened. The university has done nothing to protect us. We had to take this action to make the VC understand that we can no longer tolerate this situation".
The students also demanded improved security measures, including increased patrols, better lighting on campus and in hostels, and the deployment of more security personnel to protect students, especially those living off-campus.
The Vice-Chancellor, who was reportedly turned away at the gate, has not yet issued an official statement on the incident. However, sources close to the university management indicated that the VC was in talks with student leaders to address their grievances.
The Gidan-Kwano campus and its environs have been plagued by insecurity for years. In September 2023, a 200-level student was killed by a trailer at the main gate, sparking protests and calls for speed bumps. In 2021, gunmen attacked a shop opposite the main gate and abducted two children. More recently, suspected bandits invaded student hostels, abducting several students.
In a 2022 interview, the Vice-Chancellor had lamented that the university could only accommodate 3,304 of its over 26,000 students, forcing the majority to live in off-campus hostels where security is often inadequate. The university has previously donated a police post to the Gidan Kwano community to address incessant armed robbery attacks on students, but the problem persists.
The protest also comes amid an ongoing dispute between the Niger State Government and the university over the ownership of the Bosso Campus, which has seen lecturers and students protest against alleged plans by the state government to take over the land.
This latest demonstration, however, appears to be driven by immediate security concerns rather than the land dispute. As the students await a response from the university management, the question remains: will their demands be heard, or will the cycle of insecurity and protest continue?
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