JABU shut down as intruder invades female hostel again

The management of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State, has directed the students of the institution to proceed on a two-week break.

It was gathered that the development was not unconnected with the security breaches in the female hostels, which led to a peaceful protest by the students on Monday.

The students had protested against the incessant invasion of the female hostels by some unknown men, who were allegedly molesting the ladies and stealing their money, phones and other valuables.

The management, after a meeting with the representatives of the students, had promised to address the issue and ensure the protection of lives and property on the campus.

However, it was learnt that an intruder again attempted to enter a female hostel on Wednesday night but was unsuccessful as one of the students, who saw him, raised the alarm, and out of fear, all the students reportedly moved to the staff quarters and auditorium.

One of the female students said the intruder escaped before the men of the Osun State Police Command got to the scene.

She said, “I heard that he (intruder) attacked a student; that really made everyone of us scared and we all took our pillows, blankets, water, bags and lamps and decided to go to the auditorium and the staff quarter; that was how we were locked inside from the outside by our school chaplains.

“They also locked the male students inside. Now, the hostel porters saw the guy (intruder). The porters now believed that what we were complaining about was not mere hallucination. They said we should go to one hostel, which is a more dangerous hostel.

“The environment is no longer conducive for learning; right now, the library is locked; they said no student should be seen in the colleges of Management Sciences, Natural Sciences, Law, Humanities and others.”

A statement by the Registrar of the institution, Mr Wale Aderibigbe, explained that the closure of the university was for the management to address some of the concerns of the students.

The statement read in part, “Please be informed that the management has decided to give all the students a two-week break commencing from today, Thursday, May 30, 2019. All students are to vacate the campus with immediate effect.

“The two-week break will allow the management to put in place certain measures as contained in the students’ list of demands.”