The Nigerian Army is deploying personnel to secure the permanent site of the Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA), Katsina State, following years of security challenges that have hindered the institution from fully relocating.
This was revealed by the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, who spoke to journalists ahead of the end of his five-year tenure on Friday 9 Mau, 2025.
Bichi described the inability to operate from the well-equipped permanent site as his biggest regret in office.
He noted that the university had made repeated attempts to relocate from the take-off campus, but worsening insecurity—particularly incidents of banditry—forced repeated evacuations.
“For all the five years as VC, I kept on praying that we would relocate to the permanent site. At times, we relocated, but when issues of banditry and security became too much, we had to come back,”; Bichi lamented.
He added that despite significant infrastructure in place at the permanent site, the threat of violence had left it idle for nearly a year.
In a promising turn, however, Bichi said the Commandant of the 17th Brigade of the Nigerian Army recently sent his Director of Operations to assess the site. As a result, the Army has now mobilized personnel to the area to ensure its security.
“I assure you that before I leave in the next couple of days, we’ll have enough security there so that the incoming VC can resume academic activities at the permanent campus,”; Bichi stated confidently.
