ABU News A Publication of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria ISSN: 0345-0749 | VOL. 6 No. 1 | MARCH 2019 / RAJAB 1440 ABU converts nuclear reactor to low-enriched uranium core E D I S N I O S L A Just in a fatherly spirit: Chancellor speaks to university ABU to represent Africa at Huawei International VC presents state of the university stakeholders | pg.13 ICT competition in China | pg.41 report at 77th congregation | pg.17 AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA Ahmadu Bello University shall be a world-class university comparable to any other, engaged in imparting contemporary knowledge, using high quality facilities and multi- disciplinary approaches, to men and women of all races, as well as generating new ideas and intellectual practices relevant to the needs of its immediate community, Nigeria and the world at large To advance the frontiers of learning and break new grounds, through teaching, research and the dissemination of knowledge of the highest quality; to establish and foster national and international integration, development and the promotion of African traditions and cultures; to produce high-level human power and enhance capacity-building through retraining, in order to meet the needs and challenges of the catchment area, Nigeria and the rest of the world ABU NEWS | MARCH 2019 2 PROLOGUE Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria hen, in September last year, the ABU News also brings forth, in reasonable Vice-Chancellor told the Daily details, the state of the university address the Trust newspaper about what Vice-Chancellor gave at the 77 t h ABU intended to do with its Congregation where he reported the Wnuclear reactor, many held their breath, not achievements and challenges his knowing that the intent was in tandem with administration recorded and, or, contended international commitment to make the planet with in the last two years. While the last strike nuclear threat-free. The message was a lasted, Chancellor of the university came in a prelude to a long, complicated and delicate fatherly spirit and informally discussed the process of converting the danger-prone way forward with key stakeholders during highly-enriched uranium research-based which he firmed up plans, which he shared nuclear facility of the university into a low- with his royal counterparts in their collective enriched uranium core that is safer to handle. intervention that aided in ending the The story of the successful conversion, protracted ASUU strike. His Majesty, retrieval, replacement and transportation of Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, the high and low enriched uranium cores to spoke about the visit. So did the ABU alumni and out of the Centre for Energy Research and president, who reacted to many issues, Training (CERT) by internationally including those reported in the last edition of acknowledged nuclear scientists leads other ABU News concerning university-alumni pieces of stories in this edition of ABU News. relations. The ABU computer engineering It also contains news of another giant leap of students triumphantly emerged the best the School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS) among participants at the Africa continental towards repositioning the university to a ICT competition in South Africa organised by postgraduate institution of national and Huawei. With this feat, the students would international repute. This is the context and represent Africa, together with four other content of the 2nd Biennial Postgraduate African countries at a world competition in Conference the SPGS hosted to interrogate China come May. ABU News wishes them the dynamics of postgraduate studies reforms successful outing; and you, the reader, happy the university is currently pursuing in earnest. reading! PRINCIPAL OFFICERS ABU News OF THE UNIVERSITY Editorial ABU News is edited and published Professor Ibrahim Garba Dr. Isma’ila Shehu by the Public Affairs Directorate, Vice-Chancellor Auwalu Umar Office of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Kabir Bala Ground Floor, Senate Building, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Reportorial Ahmadu Bello University, Administration Ingino Voh Main Campus, Samaru, Zaria Nafisa Ahmad Muhammad Email: [email protected] Professor Ezra Bako Amans Ahmadu A. Is’haq [email protected] Deputy Vice-Chancellor, [email protected] Academics Photography Professor Umar Ibrahim Tajudeen Kamal Usman University Librarian Dawud Hussaini Graphic Design/Typesetting Joseph Arumona Mohammed Faisal Aliyu Abdullahi Ahmed Kundila Registrar Printed by: Ahmadu Bello University Press Ltd., Mal. Yahaya Alhaji Hassan P.M.B. 1094, Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria | Tel: 08065949711 Bursar Website: www.abupress.org Email: [email protected] ABU NEWS | MARCH 2019 3 NUCLEAR SCIENCE Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Converting ABU research nuclear reactor to low-enriched uranium core It was a thing of joy for Ahmadu Bello University as its Centre for its country of origin, was carried out Energy Research and Training (CERT) successfully replaced its on December 4, 2018. And the TUK – 145/C cask for the HEU was highly enriched uranium (HEU) core nuclear research reactor with transported by road to Kaduna the low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel under the global watch. International Airport from where it was finally flown to China on board entre for Energy Research Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) a Russian cargo plane - Volgar – and Training (CERT), and Reduced Enrichment for D n e p r ( A H - 1 2 4 - 1 0 0 ) . T h e CAhmadu Bello University Research and Test Reactors transportation of the removed HEU has recently celebrated the huge ( R E RT R ) c a m p a i g n s f o r to China was led by the Director, success it recorded in converting its minimization, and to the extent Centre for Energy Research and nuclear research reactor from the possible, elimination of the use of Training (CERT), Prof. Yusuf use of highly-enriched uranium highly-enriched uranium (HEU) A m i n u A h m e d , w h o w a s (HEU) core to low-enriched core in civil nuclear applications. accompanied by CERT’s Head of uranium (LEU) fuel. The core conversion project Maintenance and other foreign The three-day event, which took reached its climax at exactly 10:25 partners from the US and Russia. place at Reiz Continental Hotel, am on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 It was a low-key celebration that Cadastral Zone, Central Business with attainment of full power was rounded off with a technical District, Abuja, attracted a number operation at NIRR -1 at the research meeting. The yearly global meeting of leading nuclear power nations, centre in Zaria confirming the was the ninth in the series convened including the US, UK, Russia and successful replacement of the to discuss and share experiences, China, who were largely behind the highly enriched uranium with the successes and lessons on the success of the project. low enriched one. operations of Miniature Neutron The centre's landmark effort was The HEU core discharge and its Source Reactors (MNSR) from high primarily in response to the Global shipment from Zaria back to China, to low enriched uranium fuel. The The newly installed Low Enriched Uranium nuclear reactor at CERT being test-run by Chinese nuclear engineers who were part of the technical partners for the project Continued on page 5 ABU NEWS | MARCH 2019 4 NUCLEAR SCIENCE Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Converting ABU research nuclear reactor to low-enriched uranium core Continued from page 4 yearly meeting, which started since 2005, holds in December every year. In 2017, for example, the meeting was convened at Vienna in Austria; and in 2016, it held in Ghana. The technical session specifically centered, among others, on the review of Nigeria Project success regarding the removal and conversion of the reactors, zero power experimental results of N i g e r i a M N S R , a c t i v i t i e s performed over the year after core conversion, overview of US technical support to conversion and removal as well as participation of SOSNY R&D Company in terms of shipments of HEU to country of origin. The foreign partners in the project were full of praises for ABU nuclear engineers, particularly the Director, Centre for Energy Research and Training, Prof Yusuf Aminu Ahmed; Project Manager, Prof S A Jonah; and Head of Maintenance, Engr. Hamisu Adamu. The US was conspicuously present at the event with its Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. W. Stuart Symington leading US nuclear engineers who actively participated in the successful conversion project. Syria was represented by Mohammad Abo Serriah, Head of the Mission, Syrian Embassy in Nigeria. Ghanaian nuclear scientists were equally in attendance to assist in the technical meeting given their experience in a similar project executed in Ghana in 2016. Head of the Chinese nuclear engineers from China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), Secretary to the Government of Beijing, China, Mr Huang Ping, explaining the conversion process to the University the Federation, Mr. Mustapha Boss, “Management team led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ibrahim Garba was represented at the occasion by Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs in the SGF Office, The HEU core discharge and its shipment from Mr. Gabriel T. Aduda while Minister Zaria back to China, its country of origin, was of Science and technology, Dr Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu was carried out on December 4, 2018. And the TUK – represented by an Assistant Director 145/C cask for the HEU was transported by road in the Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Deborah to Kaduna International Airport from where it was Rugbere. finally flown to China on board a Russian cargo The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Ahmadu Bello plane - Volgar – Dnepr (AH-124-100) “ University, Prof Kabir Bala, stood in Continued on page 6 ABU NEWS | MARCH 2019 5 NUCLEAR SCIENCE Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Converting ABU research nuclear reactor to low-enriched uranium core Continued from page 5 for the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ibrahim Garba, who is believed to be the arrowhead for the project.