The University of Jos has confirmed that two of its students were killed while three other members of the institution sustained injuries during the violence that followed the March 29 attack on Angwan Rukuba community in Jos.
Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Tanko Ishaya, disclosed this during a press briefing on the impact of the crisis on academic activities, describing the losses as deeply painful to the institution.
He said the victims included Abel Joro Gershon, a 300-level Building student who was shot during the March 29 attack and later died at the Jos University Teaching Hospital Intensive Care Unit on April 5, as well as Adeyomo Oluwafemi Temitope, a 500-level Quantity Surveying student who was killed during fresh violence along Bauchi Road on April 1.
Professor Ishaya noted that two other students and a staff member sustained varying degrees of injuries and are currently receiving treatment.
“For the records, as at this morning, we unfortunately lost two of our dear students, while two students and one staff had various degrees of injuries. From the above, we have a total of five members of the University of Jos affected — four students and one staff. We unfortunately lost two of the four students,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and the affected communities, describing the incident as unfortunate.
He explained that the first victim, Gershon, was shot in the stomach during the Angwan Rukuba attack, while another student, Ishaya Patrick, sustained a leg injury and remains on admission. He added that Duguryil Ufialas Daniel, a staff member of the Directorate of Student Affairs, was shot in the thigh and is also receiving treatment.
Professor Ishaya further disclosed that Temitope was killed after leaving the campus alone and unknowingly entering a violent area along Bauchi Road, while another student, Longji Molshap Wumnokol, was critically injured in the same area and is currently undergoing treatment.
“The entire University community is deeply saddened by the loss of two of our dear students — Adeyomo Oluwafemi Temitope and Abel Joro Gershon. May the Almighty God grant them eternity and comfort their families,” the Vice-Chancellor added.
He, however, maintained that despite the incidents, no breach of peace occurred within any of the university campuses, stressing that management had worked closely with security agencies to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Professor Ishaya also assured parents and students that security had been strengthened on campus and along access routes, while academic activities are set to continue with examinations resuming on April 13.
