Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria was yet to comply with the directives of the Minister of Education on the closure of National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) six days after minister’s directives
it would be recall that on September 4, Malam Auwalu Umar, Acting Director, Public Affairs Division of the university in statement said the University will comply with the directives of the minister.

When contacted, the Ag. Director, Umar, said the Annex would be handed over to the Board by Tuesday or Wednesday this week when documents and other office items belonging to the Institute of Education were finally evacuated.
According to him, the matter had since been resolved following the intervention of the Minister of Education.

He also said relevant staff of the Board were in contact with the Director, Institute of Education regarding the re-opening of the Annex.

However, some members of the management team of the Board were at Zaria operations office located at Gaskiya Layout Tudun Wada Zaria to take inventory of the office equipment in preparation for the forthcoming National Examination of the board.

The team were denied access to the premises by the ABU Security guarding the premises.

The acting registrar of the board Prof Mohammed-Shafi’u Abdullahi told newsmen that they were at the centre to take inventory of the equipment in preparation for the forthcoming examination slated for September
He added that the minister in a letter reference number ADF/HRM/C.1/12 dated Aug. 31 directed the Vice Chancellor to grant extension for the board use the premises up to the end of October in view of the examination scheduled from Sept. 23.
Abdullahi said that on August 18th, he was informed of alleged plan to attack Zaria Operation Centre of the Board, adding that he alerted the security division of the Board on the allegations.

“I was later informed that at about 2:15 a.m. our security men were alledgedly over powered, pushed out of the premises and keys of the offices were collected from them by ABU security personnel.

“I was also informed that some of the office equipment, computers and other sensitive documents were allegedly removed and thrown out of the offices. The Centre is now under lock and key,” he said

Also recalls that on Aug. 28, 2020 the university issued a statement saying that it has taken back from the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) its property at Institute of Education Annex in Tudun Wada, Zaria used over the years as the board’s temporary headquarters.

The statement said the decision to reclaim the property was partly informed by the severe inadequacy of teaching and learning facilities as a result of the ever increasing number of students experienced in the University.

The statement added that the University was desirous of recovering all its property and putting it to good use for its overall sustainability.

“It should also be noted that the NBAIS was given sufficient notice of ABU’s intention to recover its property.

“This was communicated to the Acting Registrar of NBAIS, in a letter dated May 18, 2020.
“The notice expired on the 18th of August, 2020, and ABU promptly took possession of the property. Some units of the institution in dire need of the facility have already been accommodated,” the statement said.