The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) says it is ready to co-operate with the security agencies to unravel the mystery behind one of its former students, Nazir Nortei Alema, joining the Islamic terrorist group, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and to possibly track him.

The security agencies have not written formally to the university to assist it in investigations, but the university says it is ready to cooperate for the good of the institution and the country if it id approached.

The university said it was disturbed by the development because the student, who studied Geography and Rural Development, did not show any sign or traits of joining one of the world’s most feared groups.

The Public Relations Manager of KNUST, Mr Vincent Ankamah Lomotey, told the Daily Graphic that “we are surprised and worried because his character is at variance with the values of the university”.

The issue is expected to be key on the agenda of the university’s management meeting when the institution reopens.

In the interim, the university is to take a second look at its security apparatus and make it more proactive. Alema, 25, graduated from the university in 2014 after a four-year course in Rural Development and Geography.

He is one of the 10 suspected Muslim youth from Ghana who have finally taken the decision to join the terrorist group, whose stock in trade is public decapitation of its opponents or those it regards as infidels, attracting worldwide condemnation.

He was reported to have sent a WhatsApp message to his family, indicating that he was on his way to Prestea from where he would proceed to Takoradi on an official assignment.

The message read in part: “Pray for me, for I will never forget you in my prayer and it’s my hope and prayer that we meet again, if not in this world then in Jannah (paradise). I love you all. May Allah grant us understanding and guide us all to the straight path. Asalaamu alaikum.

“I told you a lie to please my Allah. The deception was to go do some research work in far away Prestea while the main idea was to move far away from you all to the Islamic State (IS). I know it might sound kind of crazy for you but your son really had to take this bold step to get out of the corrupt system of Ghana which has democracy first on its list. You can follow this link to know about the ‘shirk’ called democracy.

Alema’s family has been devastated since receiving the message. His father, Mr Abdul Latif Alema, told the BBC that his son’s disappearance was “like someone in the family has died”.

He had not been seen since then, Mr Alema said.

He said his son had earlier indicated that he wanted to live under Islamic rule. “Nobody’s happy and as for his mum she keeps on crying and fasting and praying that her son returns,” he told the BBC.