The Nigerian Army is set to deploy several of its personnel to secure the permanent site of the Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA), Katsina State, to enable academic activities to commence in its facilities.

Outgoing Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, stated this yesterday in an interview with newsmen.

Bichi, who is ending his tenure this Friday after five years in office, said his major regret as VC was the institution’s inability to move from its take-off campus to the permanent site, which is equipped with modern facilities.

He said the security situation at the permanent site had forced the institution to relocate and then vacate the area on several occasions, adding the institution would have reached greater heights if it were to be utilising the permanent site.

“For all the five years as VC, I kept on praying that we would relocate to the permanent site. At times, we relocated, but when issues of banditry and security became too much, we had to come back to the take-off campus,” he said.

“But for now, almost one year we cannot utilise that place. This is a sad memoney that I will keep in my mind when I leave office.

“Because with the level of infrastructure that we have there, if we were to fully utilise that place, FUDMA would have been in greater heights than what it is now.”

Bichi, however, expressed confidence that with the deployment of military personnel, academic activities would soon commence at the permanent campus.

He explained that last week, the Commandant of 17th Brigade, Nigerian Army, “sent his Director Operations to us and they went to the main campus, studied the area, and they have mobilized enough army that would make that place safe.

“And they are deploying them this week. I assure you that before I leave in the next couple of days, we’ll have enough security there that the coming VC will quickly move back to the area.”