Panic swept through a female hostel at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, after armed robbers invaded the facility in a late-night raid, carting away cash, mobile phones and other valuables while leaving one student seriously injured.
The attack has left many students living in fear, with victims accusing the university of inadequate security and demanding compensation for their stolen belongings.
It was gathered on Tuesday that the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday at the university’s Gubi Campus in Bauchi.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers stormed the hostel at about 2 a.m. armed with machetes, knives and other dangerous weapons before forcing students to surrender their valuables.
A student, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the robbers broke into more than 10 rooms and made away with at least 50 mobile phones, cash and other personal belongings.
The student added that one female resident sustained serious injuries after she allegedly refused to surrender her phone.
“The attackers moved from room to room, taking phones, cash and other valuables. One student was badly injured because she resisted giving up her phone,” the witness said.
Confirming the incident, the university’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Zailani Bappa, said the situation had been brought under control.
He said the Vice-Chancellor visited the affected hostel to sympathise with the victims and reassure students of the university’s commitment to their safety.
“The matter has been reported to the police. Security personnel have been deployed to the campus, statements have been obtained from the affected students, and investigations are ongoing,” Bappa said.
Despite the university’s assurances, some affected students called on the management to replace their stolen belongings, arguing that the attack could have been prevented with stronger security measures.
They also urged the university to improve surveillance and deploy more security personnel around the hostels to prevent a recurrence.