The Provost of Ebonyi College of Health Science and Technology, Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Chetachi Usulor, has confirmed an attack on the institution's female hostel by suspected hoodlums. Speaking with journalists at the college yesterday, Usulor stated that no student was missing following the incident, which left nine students injured.
Details of the Attack
The attackers invaded the hostel in the early hours of June 8, carting away mobile phones, cash, ATM cards, and other valuables belonging to students. According to the provost, the hoodlums stormed the hostel and demanded valuables from occupants. Upon receiving information about the incident, she immediately alerted security agencies, including the police, homeland security personnel, and other relevant authorities.
“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 Challenges
Usulor attributed the security breach partly to the large expanse of unfenced land within the institution. She noted that although the state government had earlier released funds for fencing, additional resources were required 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.
Injuries Explained
The provost clarified that the injuries recorded during the incident were not directly inflicted by the hoodlums but resulted from attempts by some students 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.
She added that the affected students were taken to hospital for medical examinations, including X-rays and scans, to determine 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,” she said.
Investigation and Security Measures
Usulor dismissed reports that some students were missing after the attack, insisting that all students had been accounted for. She, however, revealed that there were suspicions 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.
On security arrangements at the hostel, the provost explained that the institution currently has only male security personnel, who are stationed outside the female hostel because they are not permitted to enter the facility. She added that the college is considering employing female security personnel to strengthen safety measures within the hostel.
Usulor further disclosed that security personnel on duty on the night of the incident were already being questioned by the police as part of ongoing investigations into the attack.
