The management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining peace and unity on campus, warning that it will not tolerate any form of religious intolerance or actions capable of undermining harmony within the university community.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Garba, gave the warning on Thursday while inaugurating an implementation committee tasked with advising the university on how to regulate religious activities across its two campuses in line with recommendations made by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Speaking during the inauguration at the Council Chamber of the Gubi Permanent Campus, Garba explained that the committee was carefully constituted after extensive consultations and would be responsible for recommending practical measures to implement the DSS resolutions.
According to him, the committee’s mandate includes advising the university on how to operationalise the DSS recommendations, developing guidelines to regulate religious activities on campus in line with existing regulations, and making any additional recommendations considered necessary to promote peaceful coexistence.
He noted that the committee has two weeks to complete its assignment and submit its report.
The Vice-Chancellor also announced that, pending the committee’s recommendations, activities at the university’s two central mosques would be restricted to the five daily prayers and Friday congregational prayers.
“No other religious programmes will be permitted until the committee submits recommendations on how to effectively regulate religious activities in accordance with the DSS resolutions,” he said.
Garba appealed to members of the university community to remain patient and support the reconciliation process, describing the intervention by the DSS as timely and necessary.
He urged all stakeholders to embrace tolerance, mutual respect and understanding, stressing that ATBU remains a multicultural and multi-religious institution where peaceful coexistence must be preserved.
Earlier, the university’s Registrar, Kabiru Garba Aminu, explained that the recent developments stemmed from a request by the Tijjaniyya group seeking approval to conduct its activities in the university mosque.
He said a committee initially recommended allocating land to the group after objections were raised to its use of the mosque for non-obligatory religious activities. However, following consultations facilitated by the DSS, new resolutions were adopted.
According to Aminu, the resolutions include allowing all recognised Islamic groups to use the university mosque for their religious programmes and withdrawing the earlier land allocation to the Tijjaniyya group.
Other resolutions include restructuring the leadership of relevant Muslim organisations to ensure broader representation, transferring the appointment of the university’s Imam to the institution’s management, and developing measures to regulate religious activities to sustain peace on campus.
He added that the university management subsequently approved the establishment of the implementation committee to develop practical strategies for implementing the resolutions.
The committee is chaired by former Vice-Chancellor Professor Saminu Abdurrahman Ibrahim, with Dr Usman Hayatu Dukku serving as co-chairman. Other members include the Registrar and key university stakeholders.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Professor Ibrahim expressed appreciation to the university management for the confidence reposed in its members and assured them that they would diligently carry out the assignment and submit their report within the stipulated timeframe.