The current political rage and security unrest burning through the Northern states of the country, cut up with the residents of Minna Niger state which also affected the students of Federal University of Technology, Minna which were just resuming back to school from the two weeks election break, while some were getting ready to start their first semester test, some were just off loading their luggage.
The unbelievable drama of life which happened at around 11:30am on Monday 18th of April 2011 was a senseless waste of lives, properties, energy and time in the capital city of the state, lasted for some hours before a combined team of security forces could halt it.
The sectarian crisis which started in some part of the town was sparked off by disagreements of political parties’ supporters over the result of presidential elections results which took place all over the country on Saturday, 16th of April, 2011
Some of the students who just came back and were coming from the park in town ran inside school with their luggage screaming that there was a serious crisis in town and that they saw Bosso boys (hoodlums) burning tyres on the road and creating a road block barring on coming vehicles from moving, before a twinkle of an eye to the information at bosso market very close to the campus gate we heard gun shots from there leaving all business activities around the campus paralyzed. Frantic phone calls between students and their worried family members and friends went throughout with services providers messing the situation with poor service which some people said maybe it resulted from congestion, prayer sessions went on.
Students and community dwellers ran towards the campus for safety which became a refugee camp, at night because of the curfew imposed by the state government from 8pm-6am people come to school in their number to their head safe each night till the moment of filling in this report. Classes, lecture halls and passage ways turn to sleeping place in the night, seeing ladies and guys dividing themselves into watch groups, sleeping in turns as there was need for some to keep awake and watch out for possible invasion in their hostels.
All the security officers mounting up strategic places to ensure that we are safe within the school compound. At this point I have to give it up to all the school security men that were on duty that very day for making sure that the hoodlums didn’t get entrance into the school and for giving out their lives for the protection of the students, Since my first year it will be the best thing have seen them do.
One of the students who fell a victim of the unpredicted mayhem and was dealt with by the hoodlums on his way to his house is Nurudeen Abudulkadir a final year student of Physics Department, an eye witness who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE at the school clinic where he was rushed to said “he was coming from school and the hoodlums who were fully harmed with cutlasses and machetes attacked him. Some were on motor cycle and some on foot shooting Sai changee meaning yes to change, did some little questioning and when he could not respond to those questions one of them used his machete to cut is knees while other member of the rioters gathered round serving him with heavy beating thanks to a good Samaritan who came to his rescue but left him with a very deep cut close to his knee cap.
He further said they didn’t rob him but they were just attacking people irrespective of your religion and status”
But at some hours into the situation reports came that students were robbed of their belongings like laptops, mobile phones, and other valuables at Mypa junction close to the campus.
Some students who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE showed their anxiety over the unaware situation
Abdulraman Saheed 500 level biochemistry department said “those of us staying off campus had it worse. It started as a demonstration by some youths in the early hours of the day; when they heard the presidential election result”
Jibrin Yahaya biochemistry student 500 level said “though the election was peaceful and fair here but the main fact still remains that considering the tension around the country now the school ought to have postponed our resumption, with the view that many of our students will be on the road coming down to school which will very risky for them”
Desmond Andrew a 400 level student of Library and Information Technology “this people just took over the places in no time. Why they are fight we can really ascertain, the issue is students are not safe”
Joshua who was attacked by the hoodlums said it was amazing he never expected such when he woke up, on his way to retrieve is SIM they caught up with him and attacked him with sticks; mishandle the gentleman who was dressed in a nice suit before he was saved from their hands. We just have to be very careful and he pleaded to the school authority to postpone some school activities because of students who will have to travel back home for safety precautions
Ozim Temple of Microbiology final year said the situation is a condemned phenomenon, which ought to be addressed and the boys lack proper mentality
General Secretary to the Students Union Government Phillip Amodu said “when the alert came to him he has to run inside the school to see the situation of things himself, because nobody predicted that something like that will happen. He made a call through to the Dean of Students Affairs Division and some other principal officers making sure that thing go on fine for students on campus”
Abel of electrical engineering 500 level who also escaped from the hoodlums said he is not so comfortable with the way students were affected saying that these people are even using the opportunity to rob students of their belongings.
Mrs Tajudeen a technologist in Chemistry Department said what happen was unexpected and students should be calm. I really felt for the students because some will be on their way back to school and on get to town they will meet the situation that is not planned for.
Speaking with a security officer he said that they got information that some area boys are disrupting the peace of the town, we want all our students to come inside the school for their safety. We will try our best in making sure we all are safe.
CAMPUSLIFE was unable to ascertain the actual place where the crisis started; while some respondents said it started at the centre market, others cited Mobil roundabout. However, before many knew what was happening the crisis had extended to student-dominated areas such as El-waziri,Bosso road, Mypa Junction, Randa ruwa, Angwa biri and mechanic road.
It was learnt that despite the unbearable condition in the security of the town the school still went on with the test, 100 level students had their test as scheduled.
Presently the school is on Easter break hoping to resume back after the last set of election slated for 26th of April; 2011 if there is no crisis, the school management released a new school calendar stating that the first semester examination will start on May 9th – May 21st; 2011
