Chancellor of Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama has lamented the present security situation in the country. He lamented that attacks by bandits and other criminal elements on educational institutions have not affected students alone but also the survival of private universities. Kaigama spoke at the 10th convocation ceremony of Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, on Saturday. At the convocation, the university awarded various classes of degrees to no fewer than 331 students.
About 30 students were awarded First Class and 151 Second Class Upper, 130 in Second Class Lower, and 50 made Third class honours. Kaigama urged the Federal Government to take drastic steps to improve the security and safety of lives and properties in and around university campuses across Nigeria in order to ensure their continued survival.
He said: “Despite the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria, Veritas University has continued to forge ahead and has been able to weather the storms. I thank the management, headed by our amiable Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, and members of his management team for the measures they have put in place to ensure the safety of lives and property on campus.
Projects and other costs for the development and running of the campus have had to be diverted to ensure the presence of adequate security personnel on campus. It has not been easy but to the glory of God, Veritas University continues to survive well.”
“The attacks by bandits and criminal elements on the educational sector do not just affect the safety of students and staff in schools; they also directly or indirectly affect the survival of private universities. Therefore wish to use this medium to call on the government to take drastic steps to improve the security and safety of lives and properties in and around university campuses across Nigeria in order to ensure their continued survival.”
Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Hyacinth Ichoku urged the graduates to always be courageous to stand for the truth; for so long as you have a voice, you always will have a choice. Therefore, never be deceived by the vanities of this world. If you let truth and honour be your guiding step, you will soar high like eagles in the sky in whatever endeavors you find yourselves,” the vice-chancellor said.
