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By; Bala B. Bitrus, Minna.
Engineers, technologists and other scientists at the Federal University of Technology, FUT Minna are working on latest innovative ideas and ways to modernize the armament powers of the Nigerian Military, the New Nigerian Newspapers Online has learnt.
Authorities at the University said the institution has been making impressive in-roads in the manufacture and fabrication of Military hardware in support of the Nigerian Armed Forces in local sourcing of alternative hardwares for defense and combat warfare in securing the territorial space and integrity of Nigeria.
Though details of the pact between the University and the Armed Forces are top secret, the fact of such partnership between the two was divulged by the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Musbau Adewumi Akanji who added that the Federal University of Technology, Minna is working in tendem with the Nigerian Armed Forces to produce components for use in the fight against insurgencies and as well check other security challenges bedeviling the country.
Again while the VC did not mention the financial commitments involved in the memorandum entered by the two, but noted that the university has been a dependable allay to the Nigerian military in efforts to reduce the huge capital flights in acquiring arms and ammunitions used by security agencies to fight crime across the Nigeria.
 
The Vice Chancellor disclosed this on Thursday while briefing the press on the occasion of the 26th Convocation ceremony and 34th Founder’s Day of the University at the main campus of the institution at Gidan Kwano.
 
Pressed to give insights on the collaborations between the University and the Armed Forces, the VC declined further information siting classified and sensitivity clause in the agreement between the two but he simply said, “FUT Minna has been a dependable partner to the Nigerian Military”.
 
Prof. Akanji explained that “experts in relevant fields from the University have been invited on several occasions by the Military High Command to explore areas of partnership on the possibility to locally manufacture equipments and spareparts needed to combat terrorism”.
 
Meanwhile the institution has explained reasons behind it’s decision to send home some 700 students who were expelled by the University from the different departments of the University.
The institution’s Vice Chancellor said most of those affected were new students even as he insisted that the measure was not targeted at any particular group or gender.
 
The Vice Chancellor countered the misinformation and insinuations that most of the affected students were victims of witch hunts by randy and corrupt lecturers. He said both the affected students and the students’ union body were duly notified of the policies of the institution which empowered the university to take the action that was taken.
 The university is in a week long, eventful ceremonies lined up to mark it’s 34th Founder’s  Day, commissioning of completed projects, lecture on “Science Based Management Safeguards for Sustainable Biodiversity Resources in Developing Countries”, a novelty Basket Ball match and the 26th Convocation of the institution slated for this Saturday.
Prof. Akanji’s tenure expires very soon. He has been around as Vice Chancellor of the University in the last five years.

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