Crisis looms in varsity over recruitment of workers

James Bwala, Maiduguri - 30.04.2008

crisis is looming at the University of Maiduguri, five months after a religious crisis led to the closure of the institution.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the Vice Chancellor, Professor Jubrilla Dahiru Amin, has been accused of promoting tribalism and ethnicity in the recruitment of workers at the university to the detriment of Borno State indigenes who were as well qualified.

Some staff members of the university last week took the matter to the Shehu of Borno, who promised to intervene.

According to sources at the university, during the last recruitment of about 50 workers, 40 persons from Adamawa State, where the vice chancellor comes from, were recruited, while the rest of the slots were given to Borno and other states of the federation.

He said with about 22 days remaining for the vice chancellor to vacate office, there were plans to recruit more staff, 80 per cent of whom were to be recruited from Adamawa State.

Against this backdrop, some members of staff of the university, believed to be indigenes of Borno State, went to some elite and threatened to take action should indigenes of the state not be given due consideration in the planned recruitment.

Following their complaint, however, it was learnt that a meeting was held over the issue where the elite agreed to do something to avert a possible breach of the peace at the university.

However, in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Amin, said since the university was not a state-owned institution, it had always represented the interest of all Nigerians when it comes to recruitment of workers.

According to him, the recruitment exercise was being done under the office of the registrar, who is an indigene of Borno State.