By Tina George, Minna
The Provost of the Niger state College of Education, Minna, Professor Yakubu Muhammad Auna has said that illegal gold miners are gradually taking over the school environment.
According to him, all efforts to dislodge the miners have proved abortive as they only find a new spot when they are driven from a old spot.
Auna who cried out during the pre-convocation press briefing in Minna said that the illegal miners are causing a lot of security challenges in the institution.
“Hundreds of illegal miners have taken over our land, they are degrading the land. We have tried to evacuate them but they have refused to leave. All effort made to dislodge them have proved abortive as they only find a new spot within the institution when you drive them out from their previous spot.”
The Provost also decried the dearth of security personnel guarding the institution saying that this has further encouraged burglars and the illegal miners and has discouraged students from staying in the hostels provided by the institution.
“We have only 49 security men to man this whole college and this is grossly inadequate. The security threats and lack of security men deters students from staying in the hostels especially the female students.”
Speaking on the 27th combined convocation ceremony, the Provost said that 15,333 students will be conferred with Nigeria Certificate of Education and awards on Saturday.
He further said that 27 programmes of the college has received full accreditation adding that the college would soon commence e-examinations as efforts are being made to rehabilitate the Computer based center (CBT).
