When you hear hoofbeats on a university campus, your first thought might be a charming agricultural college scene or a veterinary school demonstration. But at the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), it’s not a practical lesson in animal husbandry—it’s the daily reality of sharing walkways with cattle, leaving students wondering whether they’re in a lecture hall or the open fields of a cattle ranch.
During a recent visit to UNIABUJA’s main campus, The Nigeria Education News witnessed first-hand a situation that feels more like a rural grazing field than a federal institution of higher learning. Cattle roamed freely, their Fulani herders guiding them through green spaces near the Faculty of Law and behind the Faculty of Management Sciences. Students shuffled cautiously along, looking over their shoulders not for professors but for stampeding cows.
This is a far cry from the vision set by the Federal Government of Nigeria when it established its universities. The aims were clear: provide quality higher education, foster research and innovation, and contribute to national development. The National Universities Commission (NUC) was tasked with ensuring these goals were met through stringent regulations and accreditations. Yet, at UNIABUJA, these ideals seem to have been traded for a scenario where the only thriving development is in grazing.
For many students, the cattle invasion has turned the campus experience into a daily obstacle course. “It’s like a game of dodge-the-cow every day,” said Aminat, a 200-level Law student. She recounted a terrifying incident when a cow almost knocked her over while she was on her way to a campus fellowship. “I had to fight my way through—who does that on a university campus?”
The situation has given rise to campus folklore, with students sharing stories of encounters with rogue cattle. The fear is palpable. One Political Science student told The Nigeria Education News, “I wait for a tricycle after classes. I’d rather pay than play rodeo with a bull on my way back to the hostel.”
The Nigeria Education News’ interactions with the students revealed a disturbing undercurrent to the issue. Many believe that the cattle are not just random visitors but belong to the university’s top officials. This perception has stoked resentment, as students feel the administration has prioritized cattle comfort over their safety and learning environment.
A staff member, Mr. Ganiyu, added a dose of insider insight. “Everyone knows the cattle belong to influential people. No one will dare challenge them,” he said. His words highlighted a culture of silence that pervades the institution, where the authority of cattle owners trumps the welfare of students.
The question on everyone’s mind is: Where are the campus security personnel in all of this? Are they now designated as cowherds, or has the security mandate been expanded to include bovine management? The lack of intervention from the university’s management has left students feeling abandoned.
But the danger is real. The risk of a student being injured by cattle is not hypothetical. It is a looming threat that should prompt swift action. Should a tragic incident occur, how would the university justify it? Would they blame the student for not understanding cattle behavior? The prospect is not only absurd but alarming.
Moreover, allowing cattle to graze freely on an academic campus raises hygiene and health concerns. Animal droppings on walkways, flies buzzing around, and the potential spread of zoonotic diseases all present hazards that a federal university should not be exposing its students to.
The Nigeria Education News is therefore calling on the Federal Ministry of Education and the NUC to intervene. It is time to draw a clear boundary between a place of learning and a grazing field. Students’ welfare should not be compromised in the name of hidden interests or administrative neglect.
There are solutions if only the will to implement them exists. The university could establish a designated cattle ranch away from academic and residential areas. This would not only ensure the safety of students but also maintain the integrity of the learning environment. The university could even turn it into a learning opportunity for students in agriculture and veterinary sciences—if done properly.
The administration has an opportunity to set things right. By tackling this issue head-on, they could restore confidence among students and parents. Failure to act, however, would only reinforce the narrative that UNIABUJA has become a literal and metaphorical cattle ranch—where the herders call the shots and the students are left to fend for themselves.
