A group of suspected armed robbers infiltrated the hostels of Rivers State University in Port Harcourt, resulting in the theft of students’ belongings and the sexual assault of two female students. The incident unfolded as the criminals brazenly entered Female Hostel D late on a Wednesday night, carrying firearms and machetes, and carried out their nefarious activities without hindrance.
The robbers, wielding weapons and instilling fear, first ransacked the hostels before subjecting two young women to sexual harassment.
The shocking incident prompted outrage among the female students who staged a protest within the campus premises. Their protest was fueled by a sense of vulnerability due to repeated criminal intrusions in their living quarters.
Several students expressed their frustration, highlighting the recurrent security lapses and the apparent lack of proactivity on the part of the university administration in addressing these issues.
One student voiced her concerns, stating, “The assailants gained entry into the hostel from the rear, near our laundry area. They subjected some of us to rape and made off with numerous phones and laptops. In the wake of all these terrifying events, the school’s security is merely asking us to wait. Wait for what? If we were their own daughters, would they tolerate such atrocities?”
Another student commented on the potential involvement of the school’s security personnel, noting, “There is no way these criminals could have entered from outside the school; they likely came from within. To access the campus at such an hour, you must pay the school security N1000 as a bribe. They accept the money and allow entry.”
“If these criminals indeed bypassed the school security, it implies that the security personnel were complicit. Gunshots were fired during the incident; it’s implausible that the security staff didn’t hear anything. The Mile 3 police station is nearby, yet no intervention was initiated,” she added.
Responding to the students’ distress, a contingent of police officers led by the university’s Chief Security Officer, Chukuwma Ebere, arrived at the scene to console the students and promise action.
Confirming the disturbing event, Grace Iringe-Koko, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, reassured that the situation has been brought under control within the institution.
Iringe-Koko conveyed the message from the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, urging heightened vigilance and encouraging students, parents, and the university management to utilize the Police Control Room contact numbers to promptly report any suspicious activities.
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