Stop outsourcing security personnel in tertiary institutions, ASUP urges FG

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics on Tuesday appealed to the Federal Government to reverse its policy of outsourcing security personnel in tertiary institutions.
Usman Dutse, the ASUP National President, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that there was need for the Federal Government to tighten security in and around higher institutions.
Dutse spoke against the backdrop of the current security challenges in tertiary institutions across the country.
He recalled that the policy of outsourcing security men in tertiary institutions was introduced during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Dutse said that all security personnel were contracted out thus leaving the institutions’ security machinery in the hands of complete strangers.
He said: “Before that policy, the schools were in charge of their respective security apparatus and facilities; they employed and provided tools for security men to operate.
“They employed ex-servicemen and other competent people as security men.
“But now that the security operation is being outsourced, many of the private security companies just employ inexperienced youths as guards without proper training.
“What we see today in our schools are not security men; they do not know what security is all about, there is no proper training and no facilities.”
Dutse said the policy should be reviewed in the interest of the students, school management and the community.
He blamed some contractors for shady deals in the recruitment process, saying unqualified personnel were being employed as security men in spite of the huge fund they receive from government.
He said: “Some contractors are just bringing in anybody, including people with criminal records.
“We believe that this policy of outsourcing security personnel should be revisited so that competent people can be employed.”
NAN.