As the Plateau State Government lifted the 24 hours curfew imposed on the troubled Jos North local government area of the state, another student of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) has been stabbed to death by a commercial tricyclist.
It would be recalled that no fewer than three students of the university were feared dead with many injured in a reprisal attack carried out by some people over the killing of 25 travellers at Ruguba road last Saturday.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the student identified as Jeremiah Mathews Dalong who was a 100-level of Geology Department had boarded a tricycle at Bauchi road heading towards the main campus of the university when he was stabbed by the tricyclist.
A source close to the university disclosed that the rider suddenly stopped at Bauchi road, stabbed the student in a broad daylight and pushed him off the tricycle.
Efforts to reach the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Gabriel Ogaba proved abortive.
The President, Student Union Government of the university, Comrade Danladi Joshua Adankala, who confirmed the incident lamented the rate at which students of the university were being killed anytime there is a crisis in Jos or any part of the state.
According to him, in a reprisal that followed the death of 25 travellers, no fewer than three students were killed by hoodlums, six were hospitalised and others are missing, adding that from all indications, there was no known form of genuine commitment demonstrated by the government to address incessant attacks on the University of Jos anytime there is a crisis in the state.
“Just within the few hours of the unfortunate incident of 14th August, the security agencies combed the area and arrested more than 20 suspects as contained in the press release issued by the Nigerian Police Force, Plateau State Command. This means that the Police can be effective but unfortunately, the innocent students of the University of Jos do not deserve prompt attention.
“Our tears for justice has generated nothing else than more pains, hurts, fear, sorrow and endless lamentations. If we really have a government that can respond swiftly to the Rukuba road incident, one wonders what is happening to us students of the University of Jos,” he said.
The SUG president, therefore, appealed to the government to urgently mount a Mobile Police mini barrack between Naraguta village and the permanent site as the spot is gradually becoming horrible for students.
He called on the government to employ the same apparatus and mechanisms they used in apprehending 20 suspects of the August 14 incident to arrest and bring to justice the killers of University of Jos students.
Meanwhile, the management of the university has assured that all measures have been taken to safeguard the lives and property of members of the university community especially staff and students.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gray Goziem Ejikeme, in a statement signed by the university Deputy Registrar Information and Publication, Mr Abdullahi Abdullahi, said security has been beefed up at the various campuses and students hostels to forestall any breach and called on all parents and guardians whose wards are residing within the University premises to keep their minds at rest as the Students’ security will not be compromised for any reason.
Professor Ejikeme commended the efforts of the Plateau State Government, Plateau State Police Command and other security agencies for their prompt response to the university’s request for the deployment of additional security personnel at various strategic locations within the university.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor, who went round the various hostels of the university to assess the situation on the ground, used the opportunity to address the students and empathized with them on account of the security threats, fears and hardships they had been experiencing since the breach of peace was recorded and the 24-hour curfew was imposed in Jos.
Professor Ejikeme encouraged the students to remain calm, non-violent and law-abiding in their hostels and advised them to remain calm as everything was being done to guarantee their safety and bring the situation back to normal.
The Acting Vice-Chancellor expressed concern that some community leaders and politicians among others were sending buses Hilux vans and other vehicles to convey students out of the hostels to various destinations without proper coordination with the university authorities.
“Such situation could be exploited by devious persons to cause harm to the students. There is the need to take maximum precaution when boarding any vehicles taking them outside the university premises,” he said.
Professor Ejikeme said he was greatly pained that the disturbances claimed the life of a student of the university along with others injured and still others reported missing, adding that the university is working assiduously to verify the number of students and staff who were victims of the crisis.
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