By Our Reporter
The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), has reiterated commitments to ensure the protection and safety of lives and property of students and other cadre of personnel in the school.
Prof. Danjuma Gambo, the Director, Radio and Public Relations, gave the assurance in a statement issued on Thursday in Maiduguri.
Gambo also dismissed as “unfounded, rumour and uninformed” social media reports indicating that 18 suspected cultists arrested by the police, who claimed to be students of the university were informants on the payroll of Boko Haram insurgents.
He said that the management of the university had been cooperating with the security agencies and decided not to comment on the incident since the clampdown on the suspected cult group on November 22.
The director lamented that while the management awaits the outcome of the ongoing investigations by the police, stakeholders and parents had been expressing worry over the misleading reports indicating that the suspects were insurgents’ collaborators and informants in the university.
“Such gargantuan claims; coming shortly after the recent attack on the university campus by persons suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents, are capable of misleading members of the general public, particularly parents, guardians and government institutions into unfounded conclusions about the roles of staff and students in the unfolding insurgency.
“It needs to be clarified that since the outbreak of the insurgency in 2009; the university management has never found any credible evidence implicating any of its staff or students as a collaborator or informant in the conflict, as it is being alleged online,” Gambo said.
Gambo noted that the Borno State Police Command had officially confirmed to the university that they were investigating cult related offences against the suspects, who claimed to be students of the university.
He stressed that the management maintained its position not to interfere with the ongoing investigations in view of the gravity of the allegations.
He reiterated the readiness of the university to adopt necessary steps to ensure strict enforcement of anti cultism rules and regulations as well as guarantee safety and security of the students.
Gambo further called on people to disregard such misleading information and await the police to release its final report. (NAN)
