Bauchi, December 4, 2023: In response to a wave of student protests, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi has been temporarily closed by the university’s management. The demonstration emerged following the tragic killing of a 500-level student, Joseph Agabaidu, allegedly by armed robbers who targeted him for his mobile phone.
Agabaidu, returning to his Yelwan Tudu market-adjacent lodge in the Yelwa area around 7 pm last Saturday, fell victim to the attackers. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to severe injuries inflicted by a knife during the assault.
The incident prompted a spontaneous protest among students, who voiced their grievances over the perceived lack of security on and around the campus. The demonstration aimed to draw attention to the issue, urging both the university management and government to address the security concerns.
Efforts by the university’s management, led by Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Sani Kunya and the state chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, to pacify the protesting students proved unsuccessful. The students, who had locked the university gates for over four hours, remained unyielding.
In response to what the university termed an “act of disrespect” by the students, the management decided to close the institution for a week, aiming to diffuse tension on the campus. Deputy Registrar Academic, Fatima Abdullahi, released a statement titled “Closure of university” announcing the decision.
The statement highlighted that the protest, orchestrated by what it referred to as “miscreants,” disrupted the prevailing peace on the campus. It conveyed the Vice Chancellor’s approval for the closure from Monday, December 4, to Sunday, December 10, 2023.
All undergraduate students have been instructed to vacate the university premises immediately, with strict enforcement by the school’s security guards. Failure to comply may result in appropriate sanctions by the constituted authority, according to the statement. The Dean, Students Affairs Division, and Chief Security Officer have been directed to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
