Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi has declared its resolve to preserve campus harmony by strictly addressing potential religious friction. Vice-Chancellor Professor Ibrahim Garba inaugurated a specialized committee on Thursday to manage religious affairs across the institution’s two campuses, following specific recommendations from the Department of State Services (DSS).
During the inauguration at the Gubi Permanent Campus, Professor Garba explained that the committee must outline practical strategies to integrate DSS resolutions while fostering long-term peaceful coexistence. The body has been given a two-week deadline to present its findings. Until then, use of the university’s central mosques is restricted strictly to mandatory daily prayers and Friday services. All other religious events are suspended pending the final regulatory framework.
Registrar Kabiru Garba Aminu clarified that these changes follow disputes involving the Tijjaniyya group’s use of university facilities. The DSS-backed resolutions involve cancelling a previous land grant to the group and restructuring Muslim organizational leadership. Additionally, the appointment of the university Imam will now fall under direct management control. The committee, led by former Vice-Chancellor Professor Saminu Abdurrahman Ibrahim, is tasked with ensuring these new policies are implemented effectively to maintain stability at the multicultural institution.
