RSU Students Protest Robbery Attacks …As Gunmen Shot Two

Academic and other social activities at the Rivers State University (RSU) were halted for over five hours, yesterday, following a protest by the students of the institution over an alleged mid-day robbery attack by unknown hoodlums who invaded the campus through the Eagle Island axis.

An eyewitness said that two students of Urban and Regional Planning in the Architecture Department were shot by the hoodlums during the robbery attack for not complying with the robbers’ directive.

The eyewitness explained that the two students were shot in their legs, and were later rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.

The source further said that the hoodlums, numbering about six, were armed with guns, cutlasses and other sharp objects, adding that they got entry to the university campus through the Eagle Island gate.

According to the source, the incident occurred at the Department of Architecture during one of the early morning lectures, adding that many students were robbed of their monies, personal effects and other valuables, while some sustained injuries.

It was gathered that the robbery attack immediately sparked-off students’ protest within the campus, which put on hold all academic activities as well as other social businesses within the university campus.

Some of student victims, who spoke with The Tide, condition of anonymity, called for adequate security to be beefed-up in the institution to guarantee the sight of students.

The students alleged that the incident has become a recurring decimal in the university campus, adding that students now live in palpable fear, especially during the lecture periods.

“These hoodlums jumped into the school through the Eagle Island axis and attacked our students of  Urban and Regional Planning in the Architecture Department while they were waiting for lectures. These attacks have become a continuous one; they came with cutlasses and guns to attack our students. Two of our colleagues were shot on their legs because they refused to surrender their monies to the hoodlums.

“Each time these hoodlums strike, we lose our laptops, cash, and personal effects. Please, enough is enough, security should be beefed-up, and we have been calling for this but without any solution. This is the reason we are protesting today to put to an end this nonsense”.

The students, however, appealed to the state government and management of the university to provide adequate security within and outside the campus in other to forestall the reoccurrence of robbery attacks in the university.

Our correspondent, who witnessed the protest, reports that motorists plying the campus route were affected as the roads were blocked while the university’s security was on red alert to check any possible break down of law and order in the school.

Efforts to contact the Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University (RSU), Prof. Blessing Didia or the institution’s spokesperson, proved abortive as at the time of filling this report but as an officer in the Information Unit of the VC’s office, told our correspondent that the VC was in a council meeting over the matter.