The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Professor Olayemi Akinwumi, has commended the Transition Committee Chairman for Lokoja Local Government Area, Comrade Abdullahi Adamu for displaying quality leadership capacity by swiftly responding to distress calls made by the students of the University who experienced security threats within the Felele axis of Lokoja Metropolis recently.

Recall that in a public outcry, the students had drawn the attention of the University Management and relevant authorities to their plights involving incessant robberies and attacks on their lodges by criminals which have turned their once-peaceful off-campus lodging into a nightmare, subjecting them to constant fear and sleepless nights before the situation was arrested.

In a remark during the 75th regular meeting of the Principal Officers Committee (POC) held on Tuesday at the University's College of Health Sciences, Adankolo, the Vice-Chancellor particularly acknowledged the timely intervention of the Chairman and the proactive roles he played along with other stakeholders to stem the tide.

One of such commendable efforts made by the Lokoja Local Government boss to arrest the ugly situation, as recalled by the Vice-Chancellor, included convening an emergency security meeting with relevant stakeholders at the Lokoja Council Hall to discuss the disturbing security threats where he declared war on the criminals terrorizing the peace-loving students of the University, reiterating Kogi State Government's commitment to guaranteeing safety of lives and property. The impromptu meeting was attended by the Dean of Students, Professor Abdullahi Musa Yusufu, and the Chief Security Officer, Lt. Col. Babafemi S. Mepaiyeda (Rtd), who have been on top of the situation since the reports came to Management's attention.

Remarkably, the emergency meeting drew far-reaching contributions from the representatives of Felele Phase 2 and Crusher communities, including student representatives from both FUL and the Kogi State Polytechnic (KSP), the National Association of Kogi State Students (NAKOSS) - local and national, victims of the robberies, vigilante groups, hunters, representatives of the Nigerian Police, DSS, and Civil Defense, amongst others.

Still in response to the security challenges and after a careful review of the escalating situation, the Transition Committee Chairman announced a temporary restriction of movement at night within the affected areas, in addition to deploying a joint security patrol team to comb the areas and commence a manhunt for the criminal elements, calling the residents of the communities to cooperate with security agencies by adhering to the restriction order and providing credible information on the activities of criminals around the axis.

During the POC meeting chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, the University Management, in a note of appreciation, specially thanked the Transition Committee Chairman, Comrade Abdullahi Adamu, for his proactive efforts in rising to the security challenges and ensuring that normalcy returns to the affected communities within the shortest possible time following the students' outcry and distress call from the University.

Similarly, the University Management commended the prompt intervention of the Commissioner of Police, CP Bethrand C. Onuoha psc (+) who deployed a tactical team to the area to reassure the students and residents of their safety. While calling for sustained efforts and measures to forestall future reoccurrence, the Vice-Chancellor, however, noted that the proactive approach in tackling the security threats by all the stakeholders has brought respite and restored students' confidence in the communities.

Earlier, while sympathizing with the students who were victims of the unfortunate incidents, the Vice-Chancellor called on law enforcement agents to go after the perpetrators of the dastardly acts and bring them to justice, urging the students to remain peaceful as Management was handling the situation.