Gunmen raided the students’ hostel at Bilyaminu Usman Polytechnic, Hadejia, which is located along the Malam Madori route in Jigawa State.
The gunmen reportedly beat several students and stole numerous cell phones. They also attempted to kidnap some students but failed due to the victims’ calls for help.
According to an eyewitness who spoke on the condition of anonymity, “It was around midnight when the attackers came. They caused chaos, injured some students, and took away many phones belonging to the students.”
Another eyewitness, Tukur Danlami, stated, “If not for the loud shouts and screams of the students, we wouldn’t have known what happened. Neighbors from nearby communities rushed to help, forcing the attackers to flee.”
Two BUPOLY students described the incident in separate phone chats with our correspondent on Friday.
Manniru Magaji said, “We heard loud noises and commotion and saw people running away with phones in their hands. We were very scared.”
Another student, Yunusa Yaro, explained, “They entered our dormitory with weapons, attacked us, and stole several phones without warning. Thankfully, we escaped unharmed.”
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In a phone chat with our correspondent on Friday, Jigawa State Police Public Relations Officer SP Shi’isu Adam confirmed the incident, saying the attack took place on Thursday night in an off-campus male hostel rented by students near the college.
“The location is quite isolated, which made it vulnerable to the assault by the unknown armed men,” he said.
Adam also stated that policemen stationed nearby immediately rushed to the scene after receiving the distress call.
“From our records, two students were seriously injured during the attack. They were promptly taken to the Hadejia General Hospital for medical treatment. As I am speaking to you this evening (Friday), they have been discharged by the medical doctor,” he disclosed.
The police spokesman assured that investigations were underway to catch the gunmen, and security had been beefed up around the polytechnic and its surroundings to prevent a repetition.
Attempts to contact Bilyaminu Usman Polytechnic’s management for comment on the attack were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Garba Ibrahim, a renowned young leader in the community, voiced profound worry about the occurrence.
“The people here are terrified. Such attacks disrupt peace and threaten the safety of our youth. We call on the government and security agencies to take urgent and concrete steps to protect the students and residents alike,” he said.
He also requested greater patrols and security measures around the institution, stating that the community was fully prepared to work with security officials.
Though the attack has generated panic among students, security agencies in the state have verified that steps are being taken to restore peace and provide adequate protection in the region.
