Danfodiyo students catch suspected thief

By Abdulrasheed Hammad, UDUS

A suspected burglar was beaten black and blue by angry students of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS).

The thief was apprehended in one of the hostels Block H while stealing students’ personal effects like bags, mobile phones, laptops, jewellery and wristwatches.

The suspect has since been handed over to the school’s security which has banned him from entering campus henceforth.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the suspect, who identified himself simply as Babagana, was an ex-student of UDUS. According to the university management, Babagana last registered for a course in 2015 and that was the last they heard of him.

Speaking with our correspondent Shafihi Bolakale Sodiq who resides in the room where Babagana invaded, narrated how the incident happened and how the suspected thief was later handed over to the security officer.

He said: “I was listening to some inspirational hymns on my phone after subhi prayer. My phone was beside me but I slept off.

“Suddenly, I noticed I couldn’t hear the sound of that phone again. So I woke up and I just saw the guy passing by this bunk and moving towards the door. I stood up immediately and our eyes crossed each other. I simply stretched my hand and he immediately returned my phone. I went back to bed because I was seriously feeling dizzy.

“I didn’t know that before he came here, he had stolen some items from my roommate’s bag. When the owner of the bunk returned he said he couldn’t find his wristwatch. Another roommate said he couldn’t find his phone. That’s when I narrated the whole story to them.

“So we divided ourselves into two groups. Some went upstairs and other downstairs looking for him. I saw him first and immediately called in other witness to confirm his identity. Once his (suspect) was established, that was when we descended on him. He was brutally beaten until we later handed him over to security who rushed him to the school clinic.

One of the members of the room where the suspected thief was caught who begged to remain anonymous, said Babagana was not their roommate but only visited his friend who squats with another roommate at the hostel. The suspect thereafter decided to pass the night at the hostel because it was already late. The source added that Babagana’s friend whose name is unknown has also been sent packing for habouring a thief.

The institution’s Chief Security Officer Col. Abdullah Gwandu (rtd), told CAMPUSLIFE that the suspect was no more a student of UDUS, adding that the last time he registered any course in the school was in 2015.

Gwandu said the suspect has since been handed over to his parents and subsequently warned never to set foot in the university again.

Said Gwandu: “Babagana is the name of the suspected thief from Gombe State.

“We investigated the matter and found out that he is no more our student. He used to be because the last time he registered for any course on this campus was in 2015. How can one claim to be a student without registration?

“I gave the report to the university management and I was directed to look for his guidance. I have since handed him over to them. He is no longer our student and has been declared as personal non-grata.

“He (Babagana) cannot have any access to security on campus. We have informed his parents that he is no longer a student of this school and therefore his safety cannot be guaranteed because he is an habitual thief. We didn’t even allow him return to the hostel because we were afraid of students attacking him out of anger.

He however urged the students to apprehend him should they find him again around campus premises, and  hand him over to the police.

“If you see him around the campus, we expect you students to apprehend him or call the security to arrest him because we have no reason to accommodate him here any longer. He is even a threat to our peace and security.”