University of Jos Evacuates Students as Plateau Attack Kills 28, Curfew Imposed in Jos North
Jos, Plateau State — The University of Jos (UNIJOS) has directed the immediate evacuation of students from its hostels following heightened security concerns in the wake of a deadly attack in Jos North Local Government Area.
The decision comes after gunmen, suspected to be bandits, attacked Angwan Rukuba community on Sunday, killing no fewer than 28 persons and leaving several others injured. The affected community is located close to the university, raising fears for the safety of students and staff.
The incident triggered widespread outrage, particularly on social media, prompting the Plateau State Government to impose a 48-hour curfew on Jos North LGA in a bid to restore order.
Reacting to the development, the State Commissioner for Information, Joyce Lohya Ramnap, said Governor Caleb Mutfwang had strongly condemned the attack, describing it as “barbaric and unprovoked.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the university’s Deputy Registrar for Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Madugu, disclosed that two students and a staff member of the institution were among those affected by the violence.
As part of immediate precautionary measures, the university management postponed its 120th inaugural lecture earlier scheduled for Tuesday and relocated the venue for the 50th induction ceremony of its pharmacy students.
Providing further updates on Wednesday, Madugu announced that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, had ordered the evacuation of all students from hostels due to the deteriorating security situation in Jos.
“In view of the general security situation in Jos, and particularly the near-chaotic scenarios that unfolded today in areas near the university, which heightened tensions and threatened the safety of students in the hostels, the Vice-Chancellor has directed the immediate evacuation of students,” the statement read.
He added that the evacuation process is being supported by the Plateau State Government, which has provided transportation to facilitate the movement of students, even within the curfew period.
According to the university, students residing within Jos and its environs are to be evacuated from 3 p.m. on Wednesday, while those whose families are outside the state capital will be transported from 8 a.m. on Thursday.
Madugu assured that adequate security arrangements have been put in place to safeguard university facilities, including hostels, during the evacuation period.
He also noted that management is taking further steps to ensure the overall safety of the institution and promised that additional updates would be communicated as necessary.
Earlier, the university had suspended all examinations scheduled for the week, shifting them until after the Easter celebrations due to the worsening security situation in the state.