The Provost of Ebonyi College of Health Science and Technology, Ngbo, in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Princess Chetachi Usulor, has confirmed that the recent attack on the female hostel was carried out by hoodlums and not bandits, as speculated on social media.
Attack Details
Speaking with journalists at the college on Wednesday, Usulor stated that no student was reported missing after the incident, which left nine students injured. The attackers invaded the hostel in the early hours of June 8, stealing phones, cash, ATM cards, and other valuables from the students.
The provost explained that the hoodlums stormed the hostel and began demanding valuables from the students. Upon being informed of the incident, she immediately alerted security agencies, including the police, homeland security personnel, and other relevant authorities, who responded promptly to the distress call.
“I called the police control room, the divisional police headquarters, and homeland security personnel. As people started arriving at the scene, the hoodlums fled,” she said.
Security Breach and Response
Usulor attributed the security breach partly to the large expanse of unfenced land within the institution. Although the state government had earlier released funds for fencing, additional resources are still needed to complete the project. She disclosed that the attackers escaped through one of several access points around the campus after hearing approaching voices and noticing the arrival of security personnel and residents.
The provost clarified that the casualties recorded during the incident were not a result of direct attacks by the hoodlums but occurred when some students jumped from the one-storey hostel building in an attempt to escape. “Some of the students living upstairs jumped through the windows out of fear or while trying to hide their phones. Those currently receiving treatment sustained injuries from the fall,” she explained.
Medical Care and Investigation
Affected students were taken to the hospital for medical examinations, including X-rays and scans, to ascertain the extent of their injuries. “About nine students are receiving medical attention. We want to be sure there are no complications involving their spinal cords or waists before they are discharged,” Usulor said.
The provost dismissed reports suggesting that students were missing after the attack, insisting that all students had been accounted for. However, she noted suspicions that the attackers may have received information from insiders, following claims by some victims that the hoodlums repeatedly demanded to know the whereabouts of a particular individual.
Security Arrangements
On security arrangements in the hostel, Usulor explained that the school employs only male security personnel, who are always stationed outside the hostel premises because they cannot enter the female hostel. The college is considering hiring female security guards to address this gap. She noted that the security personnel on duty on the night of the incident were already being questioned by the police as part of ongoing investigations.
