Borno Govt Queries Provost For Suspending Students Who Refused To ‘Welcome’ Buhari

The Borno State Commissioner for Health, Juliana Bitrus, has
queried the Provost of the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Rakiya
Mustapha, for suspending 20 students who disobeyed an executive
order that required them to welcome the President, Mohammadu Buhari
during his last visit to the state.

In a letter dated 25 June, 2021 and addressed to the provost
school of nursing and midwifery, with reference number MOH/PER/752
V.I, the commissioner distanced the state government from the
actions of Mustapha and accused her of being mischievous and acting
on her own accord.

Bitrus demanded Mustapha’s response to the query within 48hrs
with strong reasons why disciplinary actions should be taken
against her.

The letter read in part, “Even though it is a normal practice
that students join in welcoming visiting Presidents all over
Nigeria, such acts are voluntary. More so that students constitute
far less than thousands of residents who freely trooped out to
welcome the President in all parts of Maiduguri.

“Heads of States and Presidents have been visiting Borno since
1976, and students do join in welcoming them, and no one ever
expected 100% compliance in any public mobilisation.

“If any issue involving students was to be raised, how come it
was not the Borno State University, which the President
commissioned, or schools around projects commissioned by the
President?”

The commissioner stated further that the action of the provost
is a ploy to embarrass the state government because out of the
eight state-owned tertiary institutions in the state, it was only
at the college that students were suspended, with signed letters
addressed to them.

In a leaked letter to twenty students of the College of Nursing
and Midwifery signed by Mustapha, the affected students were asked
to vacate their hostels immediately from the 21st of June to return
in a week for flouting the school order to welcome the
president.

“You are hereby suspended from the college for one week with
effect from today 21st of June 2021, for disobedience of executive
order to welcome the President of Nigeria, Muhammad Buhari GCFR,
GCON on the 17th of June 2021.

“You are expected to report back to the college on the 28th of
June 2021 along with your parents or guardian,” the letter
read.

However, in a statement titled, ‘Re: The suspension of student
nurses’, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives,
Borno State chapter, denied the suspension of the students on the
allegation of flouting an executive order.

The statement read, “The National Association of Nigeria Nurses
and Midwives Borno State Council, received with dismay the
misinterpretation arising from the letter of suspension issued by
College of Nursing and Midwifery Maiduguri, Borno State.

“The Association as a professional body responsible for the
conducts of its members, worried by the unfortunate development,
quickly paid an unscheduled visit to the management and staff of
the college to get first-hand information on the matter at
hand.”

“On the strength of the findings and evidence provided, it was
revealed that neither the said executive order nor the suspension
of the students for refusing to welcome the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria was factual. Rather, there was a
misinterpretation of what actually transpired.

The Borno State Commissioner for Health, Juliana Bitrus, has
queried the Provost of the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Rakiya
Mustapha, for suspending 20 students who disobeyed an executive
order that required them to welcome the President, Mohammadu Buhari
during his last visit to the state.

In a letter dated 25 June, 2021 and addressed to the provost
school of nursing and midwifery, with reference number MOH/PER/752
V.I, the commissioner distanced the state government from the
actions of Mustapha and accused her of being mischievous and acting
on her own accord.

Bitrus demanded Mustapha’s response to the query within 48hrs
with strong reasons why disciplinary actions should be taken
against her.

The letter read in part, “Even though it is a normal practice
that students join in welcoming visiting Presidents all over
Nigeria, such acts are voluntary. More so that students constitute
far less than thousands of residents who freely trooped out to
welcome the President in all parts of Maiduguri.

“Heads of States and Presidents have been visiting Borno since
1976, and students do join in welcoming them, and no one ever
expected 100% compliance in any public mobilisation.

“If any issue involving students was to be raised, how come it
was not the Borno State University, which the President
commissioned, or schools around projects commissioned by the
President?”

The commissioner stated further that the action of the provost
is a ploy to embarrass the state government because out of the
eight state-owned tertiary institutions in the state, it was only
at the college that students were suspended, with signed letters
addressed to them.

In a leaked letter to twenty students of the College of Nursing
and Midwifery signed by Mustapha, the affected students were asked
to vacate their hostels immediately from the 21st of June to return
in a week for flouting the school order to welcome the
president.

“You are hereby suspended from the college for one week with
effect from today 21st of June 2021, for disobedience of executive
order to welcome the President of Nigeria, Muhammad Buhari GCFR,
GCON on the 17th of June 2021.

“You are expected to report back to the college on the 28th of
June 2021 along with your parents or guardian,” the letter
read.

However, in a statement titled, ‘Re: The suspension of student
nurses’, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives,
Borno State chapter, denied the suspension of the students on the
allegation of flouting an executive order.

The statement read, “The National Association of Nigeria Nurses
and Midwives Borno State Council, received with dismay the
misinterpretation arising from the letter of suspension issued by
College of Nursing and Midwifery Maiduguri, Borno State.

“The Association as a professional body responsible for the
conducts of its members, worried by the unfortunate development,
quickly paid an unscheduled visit to the management and staff of
the college to get first-hand information on the matter at
hand.”

“On the strength of the findings and evidence provided, it was
revealed that neither the said executive order nor the suspension
of the students for refusing to welcome the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria was factual. Rather, there was a
misinterpretation of what actually transpired.