FUTO RAISES ALARM OVER TRESPASS ON PROPERTY BY COMMUNITIES

By Tony Edike
ENUGU-THE Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, has condemned in strong terms the trespass and encroachment on the university's landed property by some natives of the host communities.

The university authorities described the action of the host communities and other misguided individuals, whom had continued despite all the administrative measures adopted to prevent it, as 'callous and criminal.'

They added that it por-tends great danger to the university and its conti-nuous existence in the area.

In a statement by Chief Vita Abba, FUTO's Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Governing Council, the council decried 'the devastating nature of the encroachment by the host communities and other trespassers typified by massive erection of illegal structures on the large expanse of the permanent site of the university for commercial purposes.'

The statement read in part: 'The Council appreciates the efforts of the management of the university in drawing the attention of the Federal Government, Imo State Government, other relevant government agencies and the general public to this unfortunate development in the university with a view to restraining the host communities from unlawfully encroaching on FUTO's landed property.

'The Council warns the host communities and all other trespassers on FUTO landed property to quit and demolish such illegal structures, as the university will not hesitate to take appropriate action.'

Reminding the host communities of the significance of FUTO as the premier university of technology, east of the Niger with enormous potentials for accelerated technological development of the nation, the council warned that unless the hostility against the university was checked urgently, it would have grave consequences on the socio-economic and political advancement of the country.