ATBU female students protest insecurity

Female students at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi staged a peaceful protest on Monday, voicing deep concerns over their safety following an armed robbery incident in their hostel. The students marched to the university's Senate Building to express their grievances after suspected robbers invaded the female dormitory early Sunday morning, stealing valuables including mobile phones.

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Our main fear is if they come in here and march us out. We do not want to be another Chibok girls. We do not want to be used for campaigns. We do not want people to say she had a bright future. We want to stay here and live our bright future.

One victim, Fauziyya Abdullahi, shared that the attack left many students traumatized and fearful of future occurrences. She expressed a profound fear of being abducted, referencing the Chibok schoolgirls incident, and stressed the urgency of immediate security improvements. "We do not want to be another Chibok girls. We do not want to be used for campaigns. We want to stay here and live our bright future," she stated, highlighting the inadequacy of current security, with only one female guard present and a lengthy response time from external security forces.

Rejoice Duke, another student affected by the robbery, recounted the terrifying experience. She described how the attackers entered the hostel around 2 a.m., breaking into rooms and threatening students while demanding their belongings. The robbers managed to steal numerous valuables, primarily mobile phones.

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So please, we cannot wait 45 minutes for security to drive from town to this place. One security woman here is not enough to protect all of us.

In response, the university's Vice-Chancellor and management team visited the scene. Zailani Bappah, Head of the Directorate of Information, assured students that the management would review the situation and implement enhanced security surveillance. The Bauchi State Police Command's Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Habib, confirmed that an investigation is underway to identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible, aligning with efforts to maintain the Safe School Initiative. The police reported that approximately eight rooms were burgled, and about 20 mobile phones were stolen.

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Some guys came into the hostel and broke into different rooms. They were asking for your life or your phone. They were able to cart away valuables, including mobile phones.