Niger State Shuts IBB University After Bandit Attack, Bolsters Campus Security

 The Niger State Government ordered the indefinite closure of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) in Lapai on June 24 after suspected bandits attacked the campus on June 22, injuring three students and stealing laptops worth N10 million. Governor Mohammed Umar Bago announced the shutdown to protect 7,000 students, deploying 500 soldiers and police to secure the area.

The attack exposed vulnerabilities, including an incomplete perimeter fence since 2015. Intelligence reports linked the incident to bandits displaced from Zamfara, where troops neutralized 50 in a June 25 operation. 

Bago allocated N500 million for security upgrades, including a 10-km fence and CCTV systems, and launched a probe into local collaborators. The closure disrupted academic activities, with 2,000 final-year students facing exam delays, sparking protests from the student union.

A June 2025 terrorist attack in Shiroro LGA, which killed 10, underscores Niger’s security challenges. The government plans to reopen IBBU by Q1 2026 after completing security enhancements, aiming to prevent further breaches in a state where 1,500 kidnappings occurred in 2024. Analysts urge federal support to curb banditry, which displaced 20,000 in Niger last year.