The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, Prof. Maubau Akanji, has said that over 1,000 students of the institution have forfeited their student status.

In a chat with Saturday PUNCH, the VC said that the students’ recent protest, which led to the destruction of the university’s clinic, and their refusal to pay N4,950 restitution fee, came as a surprise to the school’s management.

According to him, out of 16,000 students, 14,000 had paid while some were officially out of campus during the period.

He said, “Students who do not pay will not be allowed to continue the semester. It means that they have voluntarily withdrawn their student status.


“The restitution fee was implemented because students were the ones who destroyed the properties and they should be the ones to pay for them.”

Akanji said that properties worth over N59m were damaged while drugs valued at N3.5m were burnt during the incident.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria, Niger State chapter, has called on the government to increase the 2017 health budget in the state.

The call follows the rising cases of deaths among children, which are believed to be caused by pneumonia and diarrhoea.

Leader of the association, Dr. Halima Shehu, who spoke on behalf of the group on Friday said adequate funding should be made available to the health sector to guarantee the purchase of drugs needed to fight the dreaded diseases.

The state Commissioner for Health, Mohammed Nda, said as one of its key priorities, the present administration would ensure the timely release of funds to address all issues related to health in the state.

Punch