Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Kaduna State, led by Team Coordinator, Group Captain Idowu Adewunmi, Chief Instructor, General Studies Division, Department of Joint Studies at the Staff College Jaji, on Tuesday, 19th November, 2019, visited Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, to meet with the University management and study the security concerns of the University, assess and ascertain the efforts the University is making in enhancing security within and around the institution.


Comrade Jonah Egba, presenting the Army Officers

The guests on arrival were escorted to AE-FUNAI by the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Comrade Jonah Egba, and Lt. Cornel B.C. Eze, one of the team leaders, took time to introduce all the members of the visiting team, to the University management and officers.


Lt. Cornel B.C. Eze, introducing members of the team


Group Captain Adewunmi, presenting his speech

Addressing University officers, Group Captain Adewunmi, said that the team was on a study visit to the state and that their focus is where the university is situated, stressing that they came to have first-hand information on the security situation in the university and find best strategies to combat any possible security menace in the school. He added that at the end of the visit, the student officers should have gathered sufficient reliable and useable information for the report on their findings.


DVC, Prof. Sunday Elom, addressing the Guest

While receiving the army officers at the University Senate Chamber, Prof. Sunday Elom, who stood in for Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba gave brief history of the young university, which has grown so rapidly within less than nine years of its existence, to the extent that it has been adjudged the most serious public University in Nigeria. Prof. Elom affirmed that the security situation in the school is normal and added that the university management has zero tolerance for cultism and very serious in dealing with any student who constitute nuisance within the campus. He also intimated the officers that the existing 24 hours light in the campus, courtesy of Rural Electrification Agency’s Energizing Education Programme, has immensely contributed to making AE-FUNAI safe and secure. He wished the visitors a fruitful stay in Ebonyi state, while assuring the readiness of the University authorities to provide relevant information that could be needed for their assignment.


Major Mgbu Onwe (Rtd), explaining the security situation in AE-FUNAI

The Chief Security Officer AE-FUNAI, Major Mgbu Onwe, who gave report on the security situation in the University, stated that security challenge of the institutions of learning is the same everywhere but with some degree of variance in different places. According to him, the issue of cultism and other related crimes, such as theft, do exist due to influences from older institutions around but that these challenges are in check and have been seriously curtailed in the young University. Major Onwe also pointed out that the host community is cordial and accommodating.


Lt. Commander M.U. Nasiru, giving vote of thanks

The Student Officers were given time to ask questions on areas they needed more information and Prof. Elom responded accordingly, providing all the additional information as required. At the end, Lt. Commander M.U. Nasiru, who gave vote of thanks, expressed profound gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor, who, despite his tight schedule found time to host them. He added that they were better informed on how cultism was being curtailed in the university, assuring that the knowledge they had gained would enrich their research report.


Cross section of the visiting Officers

Highlight of the event was exchange of gifts between the University and the visiting army officers. In a show of appreciation, leaders of the team presented souvenirs to DVC Academic, Prof. Elom, on behalf of VC, Prof. Nwajiuba and in return, the Registrar, Mrs Odisa Okeke decorated leaders of the armed forces team with AE- FUNAI made Akwaete mufflers.


Group photograph of the Army Officers with University Management team



Gift presentation session