Borno governor approves N50m funds for federal university, NAUB

Borno Governor Babagana Zulum has approved a sum of N50 million in funding for the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB), a federal-owned university.

Zulum also endorsed the construction of staff houses and students’ hostels.

He made the surprising announcement while receiving the vice chancellor of the university, who led a delegation team on a courtesy call, at the government house on Friday, August 11, 2023.

“Borno State Government will release N50m to the University,” Zulum said.

“Insha Allah, we will provide accommodation for staff as well as hostels for students’ use at the university. On this note, I want to direct the Commissioner for Works and Housing to come up with an architectural design for the project,” he added.

Earlier, before today’s intervention, Zulum had been contributing to the development of education through funding support for both federal and state owned institutions in the state.

“Governor Zulum had extended series of support to the University of Maiduguri, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Federal Polytechnic, Monguno, Federal College of Education, Gwoza, and a host of other Federal Government institutions either being set up or existing in Borno State,” the statement read.

Zulum had directed the State Ministry of Education to enlist the names of deserving students that will be awarded scholarships to pursue higher education at the Nigerian Army University Biu, noting that beneficiaries be selected from the three senatorial districts of the State.

He also directed all state-owned tertiary institutions to re-introduce convocation ceremonies, which were suspended due to the activities of Boko Haram insurgents, adding that such ceremonies should be used to identify performing students and award scholarships for further studies.

The governor commended the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), for facilitating the establishment of the Army University in Borno.

Commending the governor, NAUB VC Prof. Kyari Mohammed highlighted the remarkable progress made by Borno in the field of educational development, during the last four years of Zulum’s administration.

He said, “The state, once plagued by insurgency, has transformed into a reference point for other regions in Nigeria that seek to enhance their educational systems.

“As a university, we are particularly encouraged by the monumental achievements recorded in the education sector, from the primary to the tertiary level. In terms of teacher quality development, recruitment, training and re-training, and the high-quality infrastructural development for which Borno is now a reference point around the country.”