By Ejire Folakunmi
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, says the university lost two students to the recent unrest that engulfed parts of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau. Prof. Ishaya disclosed this during a news conference on Thursday in Jos.
On March 29, gunmen attacked the Angwan Rukuba community, killing several people and injuring others. Angwan Rukuba is a community that houses many staff and students of the university. The incident prompted the State Government to immediately impose a 48-hour curfew; however, violence spread to other communities as soon as the curfew was relaxed on April 1.
The Vice Chancellor also stated that four other students and one staff member of the institution were injured and are currently receiving treatment in the hospital. He identified the deceased as Abel Gershon, a 300-level student in the Building Department, and Adeyomo Temitope, a 500-level student in the Quantity Survey Department.
“Abel Gershon was shot in his stomach on March 29 and was at the Intensive Care Unit of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). Unfortunately, he died on Sunday, April 5,” he said. “Adeyomo Temitope left the campus alone on April 1 and found himself in a violent area of Bauchi Road, where he was shot and macheted to death by hoodlums”.
Prof. Ishaya sympathized with the families of the deceased and noted that those in the hospital are responding to treatment. He maintained that the April 13 resumption date remains sacrosanct, as measures have been taken to beef up security within the university and host communities.
He insisted the university is safe, pointing out that none of its campuses have been attacked since the inception of the crises in Plateau. He appealed to parents and guardians to ensure their wards return to campus to conclude examinations.