MINNA, NIGERIA — Thousands of students and staff at the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA) are facing uncertainty as the Niger State Government pushes to take over the Bosso Campus, a move that has sparked widespread opposition amid ongoing examinations and academic activities .
The state government, led by Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, claims the campus was leased to the university for 30 years and that the lease has expired. Officials intend to reallocate the facility for pioneer medical students at the state-owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Teaching Hospital (IBBUTH) .
However, students and staff have rejected this claim, insisting the campus remains active and fully functional. “We are writing continuous assessments now and preparing for exams. If we are asked to leave the campus suddenly, it will seriously affect our academic progress,” a student at Bosso Campus told journalists .
Competing Claims Over Ownership
Governor Bago has defended the government’s position, describing student demonstrations as “unfortunate.” He claimed the Bosso Campus belongs to Niger State and was temporarily ceded to FUTMINNA in 1985 under a 30-year lease arrangement. “The C of O is ours. The land belongs to us. Even if FUT developed it, the agreement was to develop and exit after 30 years. That time has elapsed. We are only asking for co-sharing,” the governor explained during a television interview .
But the university and its stakeholders maintain that the Federal Government permanently acquired the property. Documents reviewed by newsmen confirm federal payment records from 1982–1983 totalling ₦2.8 million paid to the state government for the Bosso Campus, establishing permanent federal ownership. The university management insists there is no record of any lease or temporary transfer .
Stakeholders Resist Takeover
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), FUTMINNA chapter, has condemned the move as “desperate and illegal.” In a statement, branch Chairman Prof. Luqman Kunle Oyewobi emphasized that the Bosso Campus has been permanently owned by the Federal Government since 1983 and warned that any takeover would disrupt teaching, research, and student services .
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) initially issued a three-week ultimatum to the state government to suspend the takeover plan, warning of mass protests. However, NANS later suspended the ultimatum pending intervention by the Federal Ministry of Education, urging students to exercise restraint and embrace dialogue .
The Students’ Union Government (SUG) has also dismissed claims that the campus had been shut for three years. SUG President Comrade Ezekiel Adaidu Machofo alleged that state government officials invaded the female hostel on February 26, asking students to vacate, heightening anxiety on campus .
Federal Mediation Underway
The Alumni Association of FUTMINNA has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, describing the state’s action as an “illegal and criminal” attempt to seize the campus. National President Prof. Shola Gabriel Solomon argued that the Federal Government paid full compensation for the property in 1982, making it a permanent federal asset valued at over N7 trillion .
A meeting convened by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on March 10 brought together Governor Bago, university management, and alumni representatives. During the session, the Vice-Chancellor presented payment vouchers and a video showing ongoing academic activities at Bosso Campus. The state government, however, did not provide documentary evidence to support its claim of a lease agreement .
The meeting shifted discussions from outright takeover to potential facility-sharing arrangements for IBBUTH medical students. However, uncertainty persists as the National Universities Commission (NUC) has yet to accredit the proposed teaching hospital facilities .
Legal experts have warned that any unilateral attempt to repossess a federally-owned campus could violate federal property laws and set a dangerous precedent for educational institutions across Nigeria .
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