The University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) has dismissed reports suggesting that some of its students were arrested for links with Boko Haram.
In a statement on Tuesday, the institution’s Registrar, Ahmad Lawan, emphasized that none of its students has any association with Boko Haram or similar extremist groups.
Lawan highlighted that UNIMAID has always opposed extremism and violence, and has actively promoted peace and supported national security initiatives, particularly in Nigeria’s North-East.
“The attention of the University management has been drawn to a misleading video circulating on social media claiming that students were detained for collaborating with Boko Haram,” the statement said. “We categorically reject these claims as false, baseless, and deliberately misleading. No UNIMAID student has been linked to Boko Haram or any extremist group.”
The statement also described the university community as disciplined and law-abiding, comprising staff and students from diverse backgrounds focused primarily on academic work.
“Our students are trained in both character and scholarship, have exhibited exemplary behavior, and remain committed to their studies,” the statement added.
UNIMAID urged parents, guardians, media outlets, and the general public to ignore the misinformation, warning that spreading such false claims could incite panic and harm the university’s reputation.
The statement reaffirmed UNIMAID’s dedication to academic excellence, moral discipline, and the promotion of peace, security, and national unity.
The controversy stems from a video alleging that some UNIMAID students were arrested for acting as informants for Boko Haram. The clip, which has resurfaced on social media, originally circulated in 2019 after security operatives arrested 25 suspects, including dismissed soldiers, during a cult initiation in Maiduguri. Some of those arrested at the Bagani Hotel were reportedly students of UNIMAID and Ramat Polytechnic.
The university concluded by appealing to everyone to avoid spreading false narratives and reiterated its commitment to fostering a safe and peaceful academic environment.
