As part of effort to ensure adequate security of life and property at the Federal College of Education (FCE) Okene, Kogi state, the provost of the institution, Dr Umar Hassan, has solicited for areas of collaboration with security agents in the state to avert uncertainties in the college.
Dr Hassan stated this while addressing students and staff of the college Thursday during the maiden security summit organised by the institution to chat ways for the enhancement of peace and security of life and property in the college.
The summit with the theme, “Sustaining a cult-free environment”, according to the provost was at the instance of the matching order given by Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, that all forms of cult-related activities and other social vices in tertiary institutions across the state must be stamped out to create a peaceful environment for sound a academic activities.
Declaring the Summit open at the premises of the institution, the provost pointed out that the college, in view of the order, has reconstituted its college security committee and also inaugurated cult-free committee to deal decisively with all forms of security challenges in the institution, noting that issues of peace and security are top priority to his administration.
“That is why on my assumption of duty as the provost of this college, I deem it very important and as part of our strategic initiatives to establish a synergy of mutual cooperation and information sharing with security agencies in the state.
“It is pertinent to mention that since the establishment of the college in 1974, we have never recorded a major security breach like cultism and the likes of others on our campus. This is because we have adopted various kinds of proactive measures to curb and nip them in the bud.
“Also at the moment, I am glad to report that the college is having a very robust security partnership with virtually all the security agencies in the state. Moreso, we have intensified our effort to illuminate the campus at night by installing 45 solar street lights, as effort are at advanced stage to install additional ones and also to provide 24-hour electricity on campus, knowing full well that cult activities are mostly carried out in the dark,” he stated.
The provost who stated that the institution has zero tolerance for cultism and other forms of social vices, warned students and staff of the college not to indulge in the unlawful activities, saying whoever is caught would be dismissed from the college and be handed over to security agents for prosecution and sanctioning.
In his remark, the Special Guest of Honour and the state’s Commissioner for Education, Mr Wemi Jones, lamented that many tertiary institutions across the country had been ravaged by incessant cult activities that are continually distracting academic activities, urging the management of tertiary institutions in the state to brace up to the challenge and tackle cultism in their campuses.
The commissioner who was represented at the occasion by zonal education inspector in charged of Kogi central, Mallam Sadiq Yakubu, described cultism as barbaric, and advised students not to indulge in it, saying, it is inimical to the life and future of the youth.
“Cultism brings suffering, sickness, brew diseases and cause untimely and shameful death. Parents should do the needful in inculcating morals in their children so that the society can be a safe place for the people,” he advised.
In a paper titled, “Self Discipline Against Cultism”, presented by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Okehi local government area, CSP George Clement, the police officer charged the students and the staff of the college to imbibe self discipline so that the institution can be free of social vices
“If you want to achieve success in life, you must be self discipline, avoid bad company, mind the way you dress, give your studies much attention and channel your youth exuberance to good causes rather than involving in cultism,” he warned.
