Journalists Assaulted Amid Intrigues Over New VC At Yakubu Gowon University

Security personnel at the University of Abuja, recently renamed as Yakubu Gowon University reportedly detained several journalists and cameramen from Channels Television on Tuesday.

The journalists were allegedly assaulted and their equipment damaged at the University of Abuja which has been in the news after it was renamed Yakubu Gowon University. This incident occurred amidst growing tension regarding the university’s efforts to appoint Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Aisha Maikudi, as the permanent Vice-Chancellor.

A critical Senate meeting was held at 9 am on Tuesday, where the university’s Governing Council sought to replace Senate members who opposed Maikudi’s appointment. The meeting ended in controversy, and an eyewitness confirmed that the Channels TV crew was arrested, and the crew’s cameras damaged. “UNIABUJA arrested Channels TV crew and damaged their cameras just a few minutes ago,” an eyewitness reportedly stated.

In November 2024, a group of concerned academics from the University of Abuja, represented by their legal counsel, Muiz Banire & Associates, submitted a petition to the Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa, addressing alleged irregularities in the selection process for the university’s Vice-Chancellor.

The petition, which was also sent to President Bola Tinubu and leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives, emphasized the importance of following the established guidelines for the Vice-Chancellor’s appointment. According to the petition, the appointee should be a professor with at least ten years of experience.

The petition also accused the university’s Governing Council of violating the rules in the selection process. It specifically pointed out attempts to favor the acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Maikudi, in the appointment. Additionally, in October, reports surfaced that the university’s Governing Council was trying to impose Maikudi as the permanent Vice-Chancellor.

Prof. Maikudi raised concerns in a letter to the Minister of Education in November 2024. She expressed that certain actions taken by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Air Vice Marshal Saddiq Isma’ila Kaita (retd.), could potentially undermine the governance, stability, and progress of the University of Abuja.

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