From: Olaide Oyelude, katsina
The management of the Federal University Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, on Monday, denied issuing a memo specifying hours or days of worship by Christian students in the institution.
A memo purportedly issued by the institution’s Director of Security Services, CSP Abda Salisu, and dated February 8, 2022, had allegedly directed that students who were Christians were allowed to carry out services on the campus only on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 6pm and 7pm.
The memo added that the students were free to conduct services anytime on Sundays.
The institution’s Director of Public Relations and Protocol, Habibu Matazu, however, told the PUNCH, on Monday, that at no time did the management issue such memo .
He described the memo as fake.
“This is a cosmopolitan University and the management can never issue such memo,” he declared.
When reminded that the memo was signed by the institution’s Director of Security Services, Matazu insisted the memo was fake.
Matazu later issued a statement declaring, “The attention of the Management of Federal University Dutsin-Ma has been drawn to a purported statement in circulation on the Social Media alleging that Christian activities have been banned at the University.
“The Management wants to categorically state that it is not aware of the statement nor authorised its release. The University Management has equally distanced itself from the statement and urged all to do so as it was not officially communicated through the institution’s approved channels.
“The University wishes to also make it very clear that it has two approved channels of communication, thus, the office of the University Registrar and the Directorate of Public Relations and Protocol.
“As such any statement coming out not duly signed by the approved channels of communication should be ignored and discarded, because it lacks the needed authority.
“FUDMA is a detribalised and religious tolerant institution that appreciates the spiritual values and practices of all its staff and students, as such the University authority cannot be behind such a statement.
“The University Management is hereby calling on all to disregard the statement and assured of its continuous support to all members of the University community irrespective of their religion or ethnicity. The management has resolved to deal with whoever is so found to have written such statement.”
No student could be seen for comments on the campus following the strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The atmosphere was, however, generally calm on the campus on Monday.
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