Linus Oota, Lafia
At least two first class students of the Federal University, Lafia, capital of Nasarawa State, have been killed and several others injured after gunmen attacked the students’ village, known as Mararaba-Akunza.
The public relations officer of the Nasarawa State Police Command, DSP Kennedy Idirisu, who confirmed the killing of the two students, said that police got the report from the university’s registrar that gunmen stormed the students’ village at Mararaba-Akunza, opposite the campus gate, at about 10:30pm Tuesday night and shot indiscriminately.
Idirisu said, when the police got to the scene, two students had been shot by the gunmen, who also dispossessed others of their valuables before fleeing into the night.
He said one of the students died on the spot, while the other later died at the hospital, adding that their remains have been deposited at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia.
He said the police have commenced investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, the university’s public relations officer, Abubakar Ibrahim, said one of the deceased had graduated and was processing his final clearance, while the other was a 400-level English student.
Ibrahim said the vice chancellor, Prof. Mohammed Sanusi-Liman, has commiserated with the family of the deceased over the incident and condemned the attack.
He said the management of the institution has declared a one-day mourning period in honour of the slain students.
Speaking to our correspondent, a student of the institution, Solomon Hur, appealed to the management and government to beef up security around the school to forestall a recurrence, adding that the institution was no longer safe for students.
He said: “Since I came to this school in 2014, we have never witnessed any case of robbery or cultism and, with this killing, most of us are afraid. We want the school authorities and the security agencies to beef up security to guarantee our safety.”
Daily Sun gathered that one of the deceased, Mr. Patrick Terlumun, was a first class 400 level student of the university in the English department, while the late Daniel was a first class graduate of Economics and was at the school to process his clearance.