The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Students

  • Gunmen kill 43 students

    Gunmen kill 43 students

    -40 dead in Adamawa, three in Maiduguri

    -Security chiefs move to Mubi

    THE drums may have been silent on Independence Day. Not so the guns of yet unknown assailants who stormed Mubi, Adamawa State’s second major town, on Monday.

    No fewer than 40 students were killed by the gunmen who unleashed a storm of bullets on a community where students live. But the police said 25 people died.

    There are three higher institutions of learning in the town – the Adamwa State University, the Federal Polytechnic and the School of Health Technology.

    Three students of the University of Maiduguri were killed also on Monday.

    The three were murdered by unknown assailants in their apartments at 202 Housing Estate.

    Residents of the estate said the assailants sneaked into the area and killed two of the students – a woman and a man. The third was said to have escaped through the back door but was shot.

    “He died in the hospital. He was a friend from southern Borno but his father is in Abuja,” one of his colleagues who identified himself as Ezekiel, said.

    The bodies of two of the slain students were discovered at an isolated area near the Maiduguri Water Treatment Plant.

    The killing of the students has heightened tension among parents and residents.

    However, the University of Maiduguri said it cannot comment on the incident for now. “I’m sorry, we can’t comment on the incident now,” Chief Information Officer of the institution, Ahmed Tanko Mohammed said.

    Wuro Fatuje, a suburb of Mubi where off campus students stay, was attacked by the gunmen at about 10pm, according to sources.

    The curfew in the town, which had been in place since the security swoop last month, was slightly relaxed on Monday because of the 52nd Independence anniversary events.

    Mubi is the town where 13 Igbo traders were killed during a village meeting in January. Most of them hailed from Anambra State.

    The Boko Haram sect has also been operating almost unchallenged in the town where people have been killed and GSM equipment destroyed.

    Last month, after a swoop by security men, two bomb factories were destroyed. Not less than 300 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and 25 assorted brands riffles were recovered.

    Boko Haram Kingpin – Abubakar Yola (a.k.a. Abu Jihad) was killed during the ‘Operation Restore Sanity’.

    The casualty figure in Monday’s bloodshed was unclear.

    “I counted about 16 bodies being evacuated after the shooting and I cannot really say whether all of them were dead or not,” a resident, who pleaded for anonymity, said.

    Another said he counted over 20 bodies, pointing out that both students of the polytechnic and those of the nearby School of Health Technology were tenants in a hostel that was attacked. The facility houses over 50 students.

    Adamawa Police spokesman Mohammed Ibrahim confirmed that 25 people were killed, 19 of them students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the embattled town of Mubi had been under curfew since the past 10 days, following series of killings and destruction of communication masts.

    The 24-hour curfew was relaxed to 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. five days ago by the State Government, following some arrests and recovery of explosives in the house-to-house search in the commercial border town.

    The president of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi Students Union, Elias Pwanidi, told our correspondent on the telephone, that six bodies, of the 34 that he claimed were killed, had been identified at the Mubi General Hospital Mortuary.

    He said the majority of those killed were students of the institution who were preparing for the start of second semester examination yesterday.

    He listed some of the dead as including: Chimonbi Festus (Civil Engineering HNDI) the PRO of the students union and Lucky Emmanuel (ND II) the outgoing president of the Mass Communication Students Union.

    Others are: Ishaku Ibrahim (ND II Mass Communication), Ayo (surname unavailable) ND I Electrical Engineering and Emmanuel (surname unavailable) HNDI Electrical Engineering.

    The Nation could not confirm the names last night as the school’s authorities could not be reached.

    Many injured – some critically – in the attacks which lasted more that one hour are on admission at the Mubi General Hospital.

    The shootings kept the city residents awake all night.

    A source said 40 bodies were deposited at the Mubi General Hospital, adding that as at yesterday morning, more bodies were still being recovered from the scene of the attack.

    The incident came barely a week after the Joint Military Task Force recorded a major breakthrough arresting over 156 suspected terrorists and discovering a local bomb manufacturing factory as well as a cache of arms and ammunition.

    The Brigade Commander of 23 Armoured Brigade, Yola, Brigadier General John Nwoaga, Commissioner of Police Goeffrey Okereke, Director of State Security Service (SSS) and other Service Commanders have relocated to Mubi.

    A Federal Polytechnic spokesman said it was a “commando style attack”.

    The spokesman said the unknown gunmen invaded the area, shooting sporadically at any moving person, for over one hour.

    “There was heavy gun fire of different calibers around 10 pm till 11pm, when it subsided.”

    He said 26 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi are among the dead. While the others are students of the other two institutions in the town.

    The internal joint security task force headed by Brig-Gen. Nwoaga and Police Commissioner Geofrey Okeke, were rushing reinforcements to Mubi.

    Some agencies gave another account of the attacks.

    “They are conducting elections in the Federal Polytechnic and unknown gunmen just entered and sprayed people with bullets,” said Abdulkarim Bello of the Red Cross, adding that more than 10 people were killed.

    A National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesman said initial reports indicated some of the victims were candidates in the polls.

    There were conflicting reports over whether the elections were being held or had been carried out in previous days.

    “It was shooting by unknown gunmen,” said the agency’s Yushau Shuaib. “A number of people died.”

    A military spokesman confirmed that there was an incident involving gunmen, but could not provide further details.

    “I am now on my way to Mubi in the company of other security officials,” Lt. Saleh Mohammed Buba told AFP. “There was an incident at the polytechnic involving some gunmen.”

    The killings caused an exodus from the town by both students and staff of the institutions.

    A lecturer on condition of anonymity said he learnt that about 40 bodies had been deposited at Mubi General Hospital Mortuary.

    Some of the fleeing lecturers of the polytechnic, who are not authorised to speak, said they saw at least 10 truckloads of soldiers and riot policemen moving into the troubled town.

    Some of the students were said to have converged on the Rector’s home with their luggage as early as 7am yesterday.

    The BBC had earlier reported that “at least 20 students have been shot dead by unknown gunmen in Mubi, north-eastern Nigeria”, a police source.

    “The attack happened at a student hostel away from the Federal Polytechnic Mubi campus,” the source said.

    A lecturer told the BBC that more than 40 students had been killed.

    The reported killing comes days after a major operation against the Boko Haram militant group in the town.

    The lecturer, who did not want his name to be used, told the BBC’s Hausa Service that the students were asked to say their names after lining up.

    He says it is not clear why some were killed and others spared – some of those killed were Muslims.

    “Everybody is scared and staying indoors now,” he said.

    He added that students were now leaving the town, many with tree branches over their cars- a traditional sign of neutrality in Nigeria.

    Mubi is in Adamawa state, which has a mixed Muslim and Christian population and borders Borno State, where Boko Haram came to prominence in 2009, staging an uprising in the state capital, Maiduguri.

    Boko Haram has not yet commented on the Mubi attacks.

     

  • 19 students, six others killed by gunmen in Adamawa

    19 students, six others killed by gunmen in Adamawa

    Pandemonium broke out in Mubi, Adamawa State on Monday night as 19  students from the Federal Polytechnic, School of Health Technology and Adamawa State University were  killed by unknown gunmen. Six other persons were also victims of the shooting.

    Though the cause of the killing was not immediately known, but a source from the Federal Polytechnic Mubi told the Nation in a telephone chat that the students were killed on the night of the 52nd Independent anniversary at about 10:00pm

    The source however said that the unknown gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram started shooting sporadically at the innocent students for several hours, causing a lot of confusion within and outside the Wuro Fatuje, a popular off campus hostel housing students from the three tertiary institutions.

    At the end of the shooting, not less than 19 students were confirmed killed on the spot, while scores of others were injured. Many of them are said to be on danger list at the Mubi General Hospital.

    Eyewitness account added that the sporadic gunfire kept residents of Mubi awake all night, heightening the already tense security situation in the area.

    It was also confirmed that the 25 dead bodies were deposited at the Mubi General Hospital while more bodies were still been recovered from the venue of the attack.

    The incident came barely a week after the Joint Military Task Force recorded a major breakthrough arresting over 156 suspected terrorists and discovering a local bomb manufacturing factory as well as cache of arms and ammunition in Mubi.

    Since the major breakthrough, a 24 hour curfew has been imposed on Mubi and its environs.

     

  • Students back Akeredolu

    STUDENTS, under the aegis of Ondo State Students/Youth Coalition, have endorsed the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in the October 20 governorship election, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

    The students said the ACN standard bearer is an agent of change who would transform Ondo State.

    A statement by their Coordinator, Jimoh Ibrahim, expressed disappointment in the Labour Party (LP) administration of Olusegun Mimiko, especially its handling of the state’s finances.

    The statement reads: “At this critical time in the threshold of a new political era in our dear state, Ondo State. We must stand up to be counted as a generation of youths who refused to be cowed by state power and shunned lucre in the interest of generation yet unborn. We are confident that our modest stance today will galvanise the teeming masses to action to be counted in the historic transformation which our actions would bring forth to our dear state and by extension to the country in general.

    “It is of note that the Mimiko-led administration took over the affairs of our great state in February 2009. We have been following the projects awarded by this administration; we realise that none of this project has been completed after three and half years they took over from the last administration.

    “A government that inherited liquid cash of N38.34 billion from the last administration and has collected over N500 billion from the Federal Allocation; a government that has full access to local government fund for 42 months with capital budgets of over N350 billion in 42 months, it is quite unfortunate that all Governor Mimiko could show are few markets, Mother and Child Hospital, streetlight and fountain water.”

    The students’ body added: “Our governor has been spending billions of naira on the Oba-Adesida–Oyemekun Road in the last three years; yet, it has not been completed. All roads started by the present administration are yet to be completed. These include those of Arakale, Ondo township and Owo.

    “Also, his failure to conduct a local government election since the inception of his administration is clearly an illustration of his failure, fraud and undemocratic tendencies.

    “The resources meant for local governments are diverted. This has forced down some projects on the throat of those local governments.

    “The poor performance of the present administration, led by Mimiko, is responsible for the agitation for change that we are witnessing today.

    “Due to non-performance of this present administration and for the fear for our future, we took time to look examine all the candidates that are contesting in the October 20 election. We went through their profiles and programmes. We looked at their past activities and how successful they were in their businesses. We decided to give our support to Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the governorship aspirant under the party of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), to actualise his dream.”

     

  • Students reject N5,000 note

    Students have risen against the plan of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to introduce the N5000 note next year. According to them, the action will make life uneasy for them. They spoke to  (Oyo State Corps member).

     

     

    LIKE many of their countrymen, students are kicking against the planned introduction of the N5000 note next year by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Two weeks ago, CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi spoke of a planned restructuring the naira, saying the introduction of the N5000 note would facilitate the cashless policy which came into being nine months. But those opposed to the proposed N5000 note are claiming that it would negate the policy and also lead to inflation. Students align themselves with this argument, saying that the proposed note would make tertiary education unaffordable for many.

    “The only sense I can make of the CBN’s resolve to introduce another currency is corruption. How can they introduce N5,000 note when they know that each time a new currency is introduced into the economy, the people come out more impoverished?” asked Dayo Olajide, 300-Level student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun, State.

    “The policy could lead to an increase in money laundering and armed robbery. I am very sure that the prices of all commodities would be inflated as well. As a student, there are destinations we pay N20 or N30 as transport fare. But when the smaller notes are converted to coins, naturally there will be a tendency that the prices of the fare will increase to by over 100 per cent because Nigerians have this negative attitude about coins.”

    Mojirola Adeniran, who just finished from the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), said: “The introduction of N5,000 note will not only devalue Naira but will also diminish the quality of life in Nigeria as the policy is in favour of the rich. In short, I can describe the proposed note as the currency of the affluent because I don’t see how a commoner would benefit from it. I personally have misgivings about the initiative because of the N40 billion they want to use in print the new notes could be use to tackle unemployment and standardise our education. Even water, power and health sectors could benefit from the money.”

    To Gbolahan Bolaji, 500-Level Agriculture Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, the policy makers may have study the wrong economics. “The higher the currency denomination, the higher the inflation figures. The fact that CBN wants to spend a huge amount of money to print the new note shows how profligate our leaders could be. The United States (US), of America, which economy is developed has $100 as the highest denomination. The question I keep asking myself is that why shouldn’t our leaders learn from the fiscal reforms of a country, such as Ghana? Well the present situation in Nigeria shows that developing economies, such Ghana’s are made possible by thinkers and not greedy and self-centered leaders like ours.”

    Imoleayo Olawuyi, 400-Level Computer Science, UNILORIN, said: “It is uncalled for because the economy of Nigeria does not require introduction of a higher denomination.” This will make the lower currencies lose their value and the condition of students would be worsened by the policy. I want to add that the initiative and its timing are wrong.”

    Temidayo Bamigboye, 200-Level Human Kinetics and Health Education, University of Ibadan (UI), said the introduction of the note would lead to an increase in unemployment. In her words, “The N40 billion that would be wasted in printing the new note could be used for poverty alleviation programmes or invested to revive NITEL and national hospitals. I don’t see how I will benefit from it as a student because it will hurt the pocket of my parents and even make me to redesign my feeding formula.”

    The planned N5,000 note is coming to do more harm than good, said Modupeoluwa Fadipe, a Corps member serving in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. She said: “The currency is for the rich. They don’t consider the poor people, who are in the majority. There will definitely be an increase in the prices of goods and services even with scarcity of abundant resources.”

    Eyitayo Olorode, HND 1 Mass Communication student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, has a different view. He said: “To me, two things are involved in the planned introduction of the N5,000 note by the apex bank. First, it will enhance the cashless policy of the Federal Government as it will drastically reduce the volume of money one travels with. Second, business transactions would become so easy. I implore my fellow students to be patient and give our leaders the benefit of the doubt as the CBN tries to implement this new policy.”

    Another Corps member, Emmanuel Omolaja, said: “The planned N5000 note is a reform I believe should be embraced by all. I want charge the government to intimate the public, especially low-income earners, on the policy through awareness.”