Hundreds of students of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, took to the streets on Monday to protest a fresh attack on one of the institution’s female hostels situated outside the college premises.
The latest incident, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, reportedly involved the rape of a female student and the theft of phones and other valuables belonging to residents.
Sources said the attackers also injured the victim and cut one of her fingers during the assault. She was later taken to GSCN Hospital in the Mile 6 area of Jalingo for medical attention.
A student union official, who requested anonymity over fears of victimisation, said the incident was the second attack on the students’ hostels within two weeks.
According to the official, hoodlums had invaded some of the hostels the previous week and made away with students’ phones and other belongings.
He said students had reported the earlier incident to the school authorities, prompting the Commissioner for Tertiary Education to visit the college and promise stronger security around the hostels.
However, the students alleged that no significant security improvement followed the visit.
The latest attack prompted the students to gather at the college gate, where they called on the Taraba State Government and relevant security agencies to take immediate steps to protect them from further attacks.
The protesters also questioned why students were still being housed in facilities outside the college despite the availability of newly constructed hostel facilities within the institution.
The students’ union official said the college has seven hostels, comprising one for male students and six for females, but students were still being accommodated outside the school premises where security was inadequate.
The latest incident occurred only days after officials of the Taraba State Ministry of Tertiary Education visited the college following an earlier robbery at the students’ hostels.
