Host Community Kicks as ATBU Mulls Scrapping Non-Science Faculties

The management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, is facing stiff resistance from its host community following reports of a plan to phase out all non-science and non-technology faculties from the institution.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the Bauchi State Citizens Forum — a coalition of professors, lawyers, and activists — condemned the move, calling it a “regression” and a “bad omen” for the university’s future.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Dr Abdullahi Yelwa said discussions between the university’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and management confirmed the plan, which could see faculties such as Management Sciences shut down.

“It is glaring that the thinking of ATBU’s leadership is to have faculties like Management Sciences closed, thereby denying thousands of prospective students — many of whom are from Bauchi State — the opportunity to attain university education,” Yelwa said. Meanwhile, ATBU’s management has denied that the plan originated from Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ibrahim Hassan Garba, fueling further debate about the trustworthy source of the proposal.