”Even now, the sound of hurried footsteps behind me sends shivers down my spine. His bold attempt to rob me feels like a scene from a nightmare and his parting words, ‘We shall meet again’, echo in my mind every time I walk that lonely path,” Habibah recalled.
What started as a routine walk from the charging centre turned into a nightmare when a rough hand stretched forward to snatch Habibah’s phone.
Hassan Habibah, a Law student in her third year, increased her strides when she noticed a strange man following her. It was after 7 pm. She had just collected her gadgets from the charging centre at the school mini mart and was heading back to her hostel on a poorly-lit path. This was her usual routine since a power outage plunged the hostel into darkness some months ago.
The looming danger wasn’t obvious until she noticed him consciously increasing his pace as she did hers, and before she knew it, his strong grip grabbed her phone.
“I didn’t know when I pushed him with my elbow, I guess my survival instinct kicked in. He ran away at the sight of two other students,” she narrated.
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Habibah heard stories of victims of assault and theft, but never imagined she’d ever be in that situation until it almost happened.
“I fear losing my phone due to the economic situation of the country, but what I fear more than that now is walking alone on Campus at night,” She said.
Habibah’s ordeal is not unique. Across Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), students are reporting frequent incidents of harassment, intimidation, assault and theft, particularly during academic breaks when the campus is sparsely populated. There have been confirmed cases of stolen items and ambushes in and behind the university stadium over the years. Criminals seem to thrive in the shadows of emptiness, preying on the vulnerability of those left behind.
For instance, most strategic places on campus have little to no proper lighting, which gives the evil perpetrators the opportunity to hide in the darkness to carry out their evil acts.
It is no longer news that UDUS houses thousands of students, many of whom stay on campus during breaks. But with many shops under keys and security weary, fear takes charge of daily activity.
‘Fear is now part of my daily life’
Yusuf Adeojo’s daily trek for groceries took a turn on a particular day. The thirty-minute walk from his Benji Hostel to the school’s mini-mart to get foodstuffs and other necessities had become a usual routine, until he almost became a victim of gang robbery in broad daylight.
Apart from instilling fear and anxiety in the minds of victims, the recurring cases of security threats have impacted the mental health of affected students. A study published by ResearchGate shows that in addition to direct costs such as financial loss from property and medical expenses resulting from physical injuries, victims also suffer a wide range of psychological effects, including depression, fear of crime, post-traumatic stress disorder and negative emotions such as anger and shock.
Data confirms that 23.5% of medical students in Jos, Nigeria, met the criteria for a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis after experiencing or witnessing violent incidents, Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice reports. This further stresses the heavy mental burden security threats places on students.
‘He Beat Me Until I Gave Up My Phone’
Another student, Aishat Maijega, a 300-level Law student, endured a harrowing ordeal that turned an ordinary evening into a terrifying memory. It began as a simple walk to the ATM after 8 pm and ended in a violent attack that left her physically and emotionally wounded.
Aishat had just finished her first semester examination and needed some cash to pay for the transport fare back home but the PoS operator she approached earlier didn’t have enough cash. So, she proceeded to withdraw at the bank nearby.
Unfortunately, the automated teller machine wasn’t responsive and the clear sky suddenly turned cloudy. Aishat had no choice but to race back to her hostel with her phone tucked underneath her long hijab. Nothing appeared suspicious until she was attacked from behind, she realised in the spur of the moment that the attacker wanted her phone.
Aishat attempted to resist, but that earned her blows, kicks and hits that dropped her to the ground.
“I knew he was going to kill me if I resisted further because of a phone, I gave it to him and he ran off leaving me traumatised, battered and bruised,” she emotionally explained.
Despite screaming, nobody was near the scene enough to hear her cries, not even a single security man could come to her aid. The incident left her not just with physical wounds but mental pains that linger on for months.
“I woke up with a panic attack when I dreamt about the incident, it still bothers me but my emotions are more controlled now,” Aishat added.
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The attacks on campus have had a profound impact on students and led to widespread anxiety, particularly for those who go to class at night for study sessions.
Awwal Wadud has never experienced an attack firsthand but he’s heard enough. He emphasised that he would rather sleep over at the school hostel than risk walking alone near the stadium at night. Like many others, he now makes safety-conscious choices to avoid becoming a statistic in school.
Scary Data…
Digging deeper into how unsafe students feel on campus, PEN PRESS’ investigation shows that female students are more affected than their male counterparts. The survey records that 62.1% of female students have been affected against 35.9% of male students.
We also discovered that the majority of the victims are always students staying on campus, with 92.2% of those responding staying in school facilities.
About 87.4% of these students are now afraid of walking alone to class or the mini-markets due to safety concerns. 73.8% of the respondents have either been harassed or experienced crime on campus at night, with 27.2% of them citing poor lighting around campus as the major reason for the safety issues they are facing.
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The constant chain of incidents raises questions about the role of the school’s management in protecting and looking out for the students.
When confronted with our investigation, Colonel Abdullah Gwandu, the Chief Security Officer (CSO), talked about the measures taken by the security unit in their attempt to curb insecurity on Campus.
“The University Authority went out of their way to employ close to 50 Private Security Officers stationed strategically around the school premises to assist the organic personnel,” Gwandu said.
He stated that while recognising the need to outsource due to the retirement of existing officers, the University has employed and still has the intention to employ more officers to man the school strategically and protect the lives and property of students. Gwandu claimed this had borne fruit and many miscreants who had been apprehended by the security were awaiting police prosecution.
“Just two nights ago, a female student walking along Jato Bridge alone was approached by two young men. Upon hearing her screams for help, the officers laying ambush near the scene rescued her and arrested the assailants,” he said.
The CSO stressed that he personally monitored duty posts to ensure officers are present and alert. He enforces strict sanctions for lateness and absenteeism and urges students to report any issues directly.
“My number is boldly written on the back of every student’s ID card. Don’t hesitate to reach out,” the security chief emphasised.
The Chief Security Officer further advised students to make use of their orientation on personal security measures by walking in pairs, moving consciously without distractions, taking note of the environment and not hesitating to reach out to the security unit at the slightest sign of danger.
“Students are the first victims of harassment, and we ought to protect you from it. Alert us anytime and make sure you take necessary precautions to ensure your safety,” the CSO said.
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