The Provost, Niger State College of Education, Minna, Prof. Mohammed Auna, has raised the alarm that illegal artisanal miners have taken over about 60 per cent of the institution’s land.
Auna said the activities of these miners seriously posed security threats to the peace of the institution in recent times.
He spoke in Minna, on Thursday at press briefing as part of activities lined up to mark the institution’s combined convocations for 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020 academic sessions, slated for Saturday.
Auna pointed out that the college’s security officials had been over stretched due to the influx of these illegal miners.
”To this end, the college has engaged the services of about 30 local vigilantes to complement the efforts of the college‘s internal security personnel.
”The institution has, therefore, banned the movement of both students and visitors in and out of the college between the hours of 10:00p.m. to 6:00a.m.,” the provost said.
On the 28th combined convocation of the institution, Auna disclosed that a total of 3,655 students would graduate.
He said that the students, who covered the period of three years, would be awarded the National Certificates in Education (NCE).
He said the numbers cut across the seven schools in the college, comprising: School of Art and Social Sciences Education with1,121, School of Education, 621, and the School of Language Education, having 272.
Others are: School of Sciences Education – 802, School of Technical Education – 131, School of Vocational Education – 323 and Center of Continuing Education, graduating 385.
Auna also used the occasion to highlight some achievements recorded by the college under his leadership in the last four years.
He enumerated some of them to include improved staff and students’ welfare, as well as a bolstered teaching and learning environment, among others.
