From Paul Orude Bauchi
Students residing in the female hostel at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Gubi Campus, Bauchi, were thrown into panic after suspected hoodlums invaded the facility in the early hours of Monday, making away with mobile phones and other personal belongings.
A student, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers struck at about 2:00 a.m., armed with machetes, knives and other dangerous weapons.
According to the witness, the assailants forced their way into more than 10 hostel rooms, intimidating the occupants before stealing more than 50 mobile phones alongside other valuables.
She added that several students sustained injuries during the attack, including one victim who was reportedly seriously wounded after resisting attempts to surrender her mobile phone.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over security at the Gubi Campus, with students pointing to the institution’s proximity to surrounding communities and thick vegetation as factors that could expose the campus to criminal attacks.
Confirming the development, the university’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Zailani Bappa, said the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Hassan Garba, visited the affected hostel to sympathise with the victims and assure them that the university remains committed to safeguarding students and staff.
Bappa disclosed that the university had already engaged relevant security agencies to strengthen security measures across the campus.
He explained that the matter had been reported to the police, who have since deployed officers to the university, recorded statements from affected students and launched an investigation into the attack.
The incident has sparked widespread reactions within the university community and on social media, where many have called for tighter security around the female hostel and urged security agencies to apprehend those behind the attack.
Some students also appealed to the university management to assist victims by replacing stolen belongings while increasing security personnel at the Gubi Campus, situated on the outskirts of Bauchi metropolis.
(The Sun)