Hoodlums Invade ATBU Female Hostel, Rob Students of Over 50 Phones, Valuables

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU)

Hoodlums Invade ATBU Female Hostel, Rob Students of Over 50 Phones, Valuables

Armed hoodlums invaded the female hostel of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Gubi Campus, Bauchi, in the early hours of Monday, robbing students of mobile phones, cash and other valuables during a violent attack that has left students traumatised and heightened security concerns across the institution .

The attackers reportedly stormed the hostel at about 2 a.m., armed with machetes, knives and other dangerous weapons . An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that the assailants broke into more than 10 rooms within the hostel, terrorising the students and carting away over 50 mobile phones and other valuables .

Recounting the incident, one of the students, Rejoice Duke, said the attackers operated swiftly and methodically, splitting up to cover more ground within the hostel. “At about 2 a.m. this morning, some guys came into the hostel and barged into different rooms. They split up and entered several rooms. They were asking whether you wanted your life or your phone. They made away with valuables, including mobile phones. The whole operation lasted about three minutes before they left,” she said .

Some of the students alleged that the suspects gained access to the hostel by cutting through the barbed-wire fence before using a ladder to climb onto the premises. The Gubi Campus lies near thick bushes and shares boundaries with nearby villages, making it vulnerable to criminal activities .

Some of the victims sustained injuries during the attack, with one female student reportedly suffering serious injuries after refusing to surrender her mobile phone. The eyewitness confirmed that the student who resisted was attacked by the armed hoodlums .

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Expressing fear over what they described as a delayed security response, another student, Fauziya Abdullahi, voiced concerns that the campus remains vulnerable to more severe attacks. “Our main fear is that if they come in here and march us out, we do not want to become another Chibok girls. We do not want to be used for campaigns. We do not want people to say we had a bright future. We want to stay here and live our bright future. We cannot wait 45 minutes for security personnel to drive from town to this place,” she said .

The incident has since dominated discussions within the university community and on social media, with many calling for improved security around the hostel and the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. Students have also taken to various platforms to express their frustration over what they perceive as inadequate security measures on campus .

Confirming the incident, the university’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Zailani Bappa, said the situation was under control. He disclosed that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Hassan Garba, had visited the female hostel to sympathise with the affected students and reassure them of the university management’s commitment to their safety . “The incident has been reported to the police. They have deployed personnel to the campus, taken statements from the affected students and commenced investigation,” Bappa said . He added that the university has taken proactive steps with relevant security agencies to strengthen security on campus .

Speaking on the incident, the Bauchi State Police Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Habib, said the suspects had fled before officers arrived at the scene. He added that investigations are ongoing and efforts are underway to track down and arrest those responsible . The police have assured stakeholders that those responsible will be arrested and prosecuted .

Some affected students have urged the institution to replace the stolen items, arguing that its failure to deploy enough security personnel to the campus contributed to the incident. Others appealed to the university management to deploy more security personnel to the Gubi Campus, located on the outskirts of Bauchi metropolis .

The incident comes barely two weeks after students living off campus at Sa’adu Zungur University were reportedly robbed. In April, students residing off campus near the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, also experienced a similar attack . The Bauchi State Safe School Implementation Task Force was inaugurated in March this year to strengthen security in schools and prevent such incidents. However, following the recent attacks, many residents are calling for more proactive security measures to better protect students and educational institutions across the state .