Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has urged the federal government to reconsider merging Army University Biu in Borno with the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna.
Zulum, who made the call in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Maiduguri, also urged the government to allow the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, NCAM, Ilorin, to remain as it is instead of being a department in the Ministry of Agriculture.
He said that the Army University Biu, which is a conventional university, should be allowed to remain so or be handed over to the Ministry of Education to continue in that capacity if the Army is not interested in having a university.
According to the governor, the university has been playing a critical role in the education of students in the North-east, particularly Borno State, where education was seriously affected by over a decade of insurgency.
“This university is very important to the people of Borno and North-east in general.
“I am appealing to the President to look into this issue.
“Secondly, I want to make a case for the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation which has a very important role to play at this material time that FG is looking towards promoting food security.
“NCAM is the only centre saddled with the responsibility of fabricating agricultural tools and implements in Nigeria,” Mr Zulum said.
He expressed the optimism that a technical committee would be established to review some of the measures taken.
Reconsider merging Army University with NDA – Zulum begs Nigerian govt