Protesting students at the entrance gate of ATBU, Bauchi
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
A Bauchi based Civil Society Organization, Young Leaders Network, has condemned the description of the management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) of its students, who came out to protest the killing of their schoolmate as “miscreants.”
Recall that a final year Geology student, Joseph Agabaidu, according to multiple sources on the campus, was returning to his lodge situated around the Yelwan Tudu market in the Yelwa area, a suburb of Bauchi metropolis, at about 7.00pm on Saturday, when he was attacked and stabbed with a knife by some assailants while trying to steal his mobile phone. He was rushed to the hospital for medical treatment but died while receiving treatment.
But the Police, in a statement on Wednesday said that the 500 Level student, was stabbed while trying to retrieve his girlfriend’s bag containing her mobile phone which was snatched by assailants.
Agabaidu who hails from Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State but based in Benue State, is said to be the eldest among four children of his family who school at ATBU, Bauchi.
The incident sparked a protest among students of the school who came out in their numbers at the Yelwa Campus, to express their anger at the inadequate security in and around the campus and to call for the attention of the management and the government.
Following the protest, the management, in a statement signed by the Deputy Registrar Academic, Haj. Fatima Abdullahi, shut down the school and directed students to vacate the campus immediately because the protest carried out by “miscreants” disrupted the peace being enjoyed on the campus.
But the YLN Executive Director, Seun Justin-Onarinde, in a statement signed and issued to journalists on Tuesday night, faulted the Management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, for its impromptu closure of the school following the students’ protest over the death of their schoolmate.
He described as “inconsiderate actions” taken by the leadership of the University in response to the protest staged by the aggrieved students of the University.
“Young Leaders Network also strongly condemns the response of the management of ATBU to the protest staged by the aggrieved students in response not only to the killing but to the attack of other students in the host communities.
“It may be recalled that the University released a memo directing the students to vacate both campuses of the university with immediate effect. YLN believes strongly that a reputable institution like ATBU should be considerate of the safety and security of the thousands of students they sent off from the hostel; many of whom traveled from far and near without relatives to stay with.
“The school also understands the financial state of the students who couldn’t afford hotel accommodation for the one week of lectures. The action of dismissing students impromptu has brought untold hardships on both students and their parents while also exposing them to danger.
“The University is reminded that the welfare of every student, especially as regards their safety and security, is an important responsibility they must uphold. In the memo the school released, the University called the protesting students “miscreants” which is far undignified for a tertiary institution like ATBU that has spent decades to instill ‘character and learning’ in their students.
“The students also have the right to protest. We urge the management of the Institution to cease using such foul language on their students and show a safer crisis management strategy than closing the University. Dialogues and partnerships with security officials to secure both school hostels, properties, and roads should have been explored to keep the students safe within the hostels.
“We also urge the University leadership to consider visiting the host communities and the law enforcement agencies for strategic partnership on the promotion of peace, law, and order in the metropolis,” he said.
While condemning the killing of the 500 level student, he said that the attack is one of the many suffered by students and residents of the metropolis, called on security agencies in the state to rise up to their responsibilities of securing lives and properties of citizens.
According to Justin-Onarinde: “This attack no doubt is one of the numerous others suffered by the University communities and residents within the State metropolis. This incident also revealed the porosity of security of lives and properties in the metropolis that hosts about three Tertiary Institutions (Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Federal Polytechnics Bauchi, and College of Agriculture, Bauchi).
“Young Leaders Network condemns in its entirety the evil act of taking one’s life as perpetrated against a promising final-year student, a great asset to the nation and a pillar to his family.
“We, therefore, call on law enforcement agencies especially the Nigerian Police Force to double up the efforts to curb the activities of violent and extremist gangs that have gained a new occupation of breaking into people’s homes, harming, and destroying properties of innocent residents and students, we hope the perpetrators of this evil act be found and brought to book.
“We also call for improved coordination among the State’s security agencies (Nigerian Police Force, NSCDC, etc), local security groups, and the management of the Tertiary Institutions to ensure the safety of all students and staff of the Tertiary Institutions. We are all custodians in the security of our students who left their homes to reside in our communities.”
