Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has urged the Federal Government to reconsider merging Army University Biu in Borno with the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna.
Zulum also urged the government to allow the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) Ilorin to remain as it is instead of being a department in the Ministry of Agriculture.
The governor made the call in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Maiduguri.
He said that the Army University Biu, which is a conventional university, should be allowed to remain so or be handed over to the Ministry of Education to continue in that capacity if the Army is not interested in having a university.
According to him, the university has been playing a critical role in the education of students in the North East, particularly Borno, where education was seriously affected by over a decade of insurgency.
“This university is very important to the people of Borno and northeast in general.
“I am appealing to the President to look into this issue.
“Secondly, I want to make a case for the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization which has a very important role to play at this material time that FG is looking towards promoting food security.
“NCAM is the only centre saddled with the responsibility of fabricating agricultural tools and implements in Nigeria,” Zulum said.
He expressed the hope that a technical committee would be set up to review some of the measures taken.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Army University Biu was established in 2018. (NAN)
By Yakubu Uba (08038451730)
