The unexpected has again afflicted the school. Just as it began to settle down for the rushed Second Semester examination occasioned by the loss of academic sessions due to the prolonged ASUU strike and the Covid-19 pandemic, the University of Jos, has been forced to shut its doors prematurely all in a bid to save the life of students and workers.
The situation in the city of Jos has not been the same since no fewer than 20 persons were brutally murdered along Rukuba Road in Jos early this month, thereby setting the stage for reprisal killings, kidnap and destructions and general display of lawlessness around the town by unknown elements.
In the wake of the attacks, students and staff of the two key educational institutions in the city of Jos, the University of Jos and the Federal College of Forestry have never been spared.
For instance, a few days after the killing of the 20 persons, unknown elements have killed no fewer than five innocent students of the University Jos and tensions are still rising over fears that more attacks are being planned against the university community.
Apparently rattled by the skirmishes around the university and the continued flares of tension and threats of reprisals, many states in the country have rushed in to evacuate their citizens to avoid being slaughtered like animals by gunmen said to be on the prowl in the state.
As at the time of the report, no fewer than seven states have ordered the immediate evacuation of their students from the university pending further development. The states include Enugu, Abia, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Kwara and Gombe. The evacuations have been done with the aid of security agents deployed in the wake of the attacks in the state and its environs. But the authorities of the UniJos in a proactive move have shut the gates of the institution and asked all to vacate the premises until further notice.
The institution appears to be worried that miscreants and evil men could cash in on the recent attacks in the town and unleash mayhem on its students and workers. It, therefore, postponed its second-semester examinations and other academic activities, which were in top gear so as to end the semester and begin the 2020 session, which had been pushed back by Covid-19 and ASUU strike.
But in announcing the forced shutdown, the Registrar, Mr. Monday Danjem, cited growing insecurity around the campuses and hostels of the university as the reason for the measure. Danjem said: “Following the risky and precarious insecurity situation in Jos, the imposition of dusk to dawn curfew, which has affected the academic activities including the suspension of Second Semester Examinations for the 2019/2020 Academic Session in the University of Jos, the University continued to experience the loss of lives of some of our students.
“Consequently, the Management of the University of Jos, after an emergency meeting with the Committee of Deans, Directors, and Provost on Friday, 20th August 2021, has approved the suspension of Examinations for the Second Semester 2019/2020 Academic Session and all Academic Activities in the University until further notice subject to ratification by the Senate of the University.
“Management has also directed the closure of all students’ hostels until further notice. Management’s decision was taken following an emergency meeting of Management and the Committee of Deans, Directors and Provost of the University held on Friday 20th August 2021 in view of the intensified killings of students around the University of Jos area shortly after the relaxation of the 24-hour curfew in the state on Thursday, 19th August, 2021.
“Also considering that it will be risky to delay security measures to stop the brutal killings of students and protect the lives of students, and also considering the high risk involved in having a Senate meeting in the present risky and precarious security situation in which the brutal killings of students and staff of the University seem to be on the rise.
“All students of the university resident in the various Hostels are to return home or safer places until normalcy is restored. Students are also advised to use safe means of transportation to their respective safer destinations. We passionately appeal that a joint patrol team of armed soldiers and other law enforcement agencies should beef up security and ensure that students are adequately protected as they evacuate their hostels to safe destinations; the life or security of every student matters to Management of the University of Jos and other stakeholders.”
Students are to be notified to resume when “security improves” and no one knows when.
It will be recalled that the UniJos Chapters of ASUU, SSANU, NASU and the Students’ Union Government, SUG, had raised the alarm over the continuous killings of students of the University by hoodlums.
Speaking in Jos after a 100L was pulled out of a tricycle and stabbed to death, the SUG President, University of Jos, Danladi Adankala alleged that despite the development there was no genuine commitment demonstrated by the Government in addressing the ugly trend in the State.
He said, “At the risk of being misunderstood, we dare to state that just within few hours of the unfortunate incident of 14th August, the security agencies combed the area and arrested more than 20 suspects as contained in the press statement issued by the Nigerian Police Force, Plateau State Command. This means the security agencies can be effective but unfortunately, the innocent students of the University of Jos do not deserve such prompt attention and energy.
“Our tears for justice have generated nothing else than more pain, hurts, fears, sorrows and endless lamentations. If we really have a government that can respond swiftly to the Rukuba Road incident, one wonders what is happening to us the students of the University of Jos. This is no doubt an affirmation of the saying that all animals are not equal.”
Vanguard.
