President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has instructed Borno State Government to submit a memorandum on plans to convert the Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State, a regular university.
The implementation of the Orosanye Report, which was recently adopted by the federal government, had proposed that the Nigerian Army University be subsumed into the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) as a faculty.
But the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, had argued against the plan right from when it was announced and made further move at stopping the move on Friday by meeting with President Tinubu to suggest the exploration of other options.
Speaking to journalists at the State House, Abuja, after meeting with President Tinubu, Governor Zulum revealed that the federal government was opened to considering the alternative of converting the institution to a regular university under the Federal Ministry of Education.
Disclosing the development to journalists after his meeting with Tinubu, Zulum said “I saw Mr. President on the issue of Army University Biu, because recently, there was a communication from the presidency that some institutions will be merged according to the oronsoye report.
Zulum explained, “I saw Mr. President on the issue of Army University Biu, because recently, there was a communication from the presidency that some institutions will be merged according to the oronsoye report.
“The government and people of Borno state have hailed this great initiative. It is a very good one. But however, we have pleaded to Mr. President to reconsider the issue of Army Univeristy merger with the Nigeria Defence Academy.”
He said the institution serves a large population from Southern Borno whose chances of getting a tertiary education is in jeopardy.
“Southern Borno State is a very important region, not only in Borno state, but also in the entire country.
“There are a huge number of children that are willing to study, and they don’t have any federal universities in the zone. Once this army university is merged with NDA, we may encounter a huge number of out-of-school children as a result of absence of university in that part of the state.
“The most important thing is that, the President has listened to me, and he has agreed to review the matter, Inshallah,” he noted.
