By Waziri Isa Adam
Few hours to the expiration of the 48 hours directive earlier given to the students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to vacate all Halls of Residence by Thursday, 23/February/2023, latest, for Elections purposes, in what looks like a reversal of the earlier directive, the University Management has clarified that the University’s senate only suspended academic activities for three weeks.
An official Bulletin released by the University in the late hours of Wednesday, 22, February, 2023, titled, “CLARIFICATION”, said, “It has become necessary to refer to the Special Bulletin Volume 15 No: 7, dated 20th February, 2023, Captioned, ‘Closure of the University’, and to clarify that the Senate of Ahmadu Bello University did not close the University.
The Bulletin further stressed that, “the Senate only suspended academic activities in the University from 22nd February to 14th March, 2023, both dates inclusive”
If the words used in this latest ‘clarification’, were what was contained in the circular earlier issued by the University’s Accomodations Officer, majority of the students who were not willing to vacate the hostels, either due to lack of money to start travelling to their various and very distant destinations, lack of Voters Cards, or both, could not have vacated the hostels. They would have comfortably remained in the hostels.
Many of such Students who could not travel, chose the inconvenient option to join their colleagues who live off Campus for fear of being forcefully ejected by the University management, considering the tune of the Jamil Wada signed Circular.
With the University’s latest ‘clarification’, and, as a matter of emphasis and for record purposes, it can now be safely said that ABU remains officially open, and students who felt the 48 hours directive earlier given to them, had consequences of disobedience, can be interpreted to mean it has either been jettisoned or reversed.
