Education Minister Orders Expulsion Of Students Linked To Kidnapping

(Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa. Photo by Nigeria Stories)

Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts of postsecondary institutions across the country have been instructed by the Minister of Education to dismiss any student whose involvement in kidnapping or related criminal activity has been conclusively proven through formal investigation.

The directive emerged following a consultative session between the Minister and leadership of the Federal University of Lafia in Nasarawa State, where security concerns were discussed.

The Minister additionally instructed heads of higher learning institutions to reinforce internal intelligence mechanisms and coordinate extensively with security agencies to strengthen campus protection infrastructure and safeguard student welfare.

Whilst acknowledging that Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education remain comparatively secure, the Minister observed that recent criminal incidents involving students occurring outside institutional premises necessitate elevated surveillance and intelligence-gathering capacity.

The Minister cautioned that protracted tolerance of misconduct facilitates its institutionalisation within institutional culture, and stressed that students substantiated through investigation of orchestrating or participating in abduction of fellow students retain no legitimate place within tertiary education environments.

Such individuals warrant expulsion, and campuses must be insulated from functioning as sanctuaries for criminal actors.

The Minister disclosed recent engagement with the Defence Ministry aimed at fortifying the Safe Schools Initiative and enhancing learner security throughout the educational system.

He reaffirmed the government position that state institutions shall neither negotiate with abductors nor remit ransom payments, emphasising that such concessions embolden criminal organisations and undermine counter-insecurity campaigns.

Campus safety enhancements will be supported through TETFund's 2027 intervention programme, which will finance security infrastructure projects encompassing perimeter fortification and allied protective facilities within tertiary institutions.

University leadership raised apprehensions regarding student housing availability, electrical supply deficiencies at an auxiliary campus, and persistent security vulnerabilities.

Officials disclosed that certain students were suspected of maintaining connections to kidnapping operations executed beyond the campus perimeter and affirmed the institution's principled opposition to ransom disbursement for hostage release.

Minister of Education Tunji Alausa has directed the immediate expulsion of any student found to be involved in kidnapping. pic.twitter.com/aLoy6fh2t3

— BeaSphere 🇳🇬 (@TheOlawami) August 4, 2026