Dennis Osadebey University: Staff, Students Lament, As Armed Robbers Terrorise Campus

By Daniel Dafe

Staff and students of Denis Osadebey University have raised alarm over what it describes as a terrifying surge in violent robberies targeting their residences on campus.

According to anonymous sources from the university, victims include Mr. Earnest, Faculty of Management, Mr. Nduka, Works and Services and Mrs. Nwane, Library Department.

Oasis Magazine was also reliably informed that the Anglican Church on several occasions has been robbed where the church generating set, phones, laptops and cash were carted away.

Robbers have also attacked students’ hostels and dispossessed victims of phones and cash.

One of the sources, said: “We don’t know the arrangement the management has with a security company “Cooperate Vigil” whose staff members go to their beat with mosquito nets, sleeping mat and phones. They only go there to sleep; they neither patrol the campus nor keep watch. The issue has so degenerated that we now have to be keeping watch in a government quarter.”

The source continued: “The lives of the staff and students are not safe in a government quarter that was supposed to be the safest place. We are aware that the state government releases security votes to the University. We don’t know what they do with it.”

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The source said further: “The CSO told us that he has written several proposals which include inviting the Drug Law Enforcement Agencies to raid the neighbouring camps, inviting police for patrol on Campus, equipping the security guards with all that is needed but nothing was achieved.”

Adding: “It is a call for save our soul on DOU campus. Other institutions in the state have gotten their security outfit fortified, which include adding enough men for patrol and guns.”

At the time of this report, Oasis Magazine learnt that staff members on campus have formed vigilante groups to guard their residents as self-help, pending when the authorities do something about the situation.

Meanwhile, during a meeting by campus residents on Wednesday, the DCSO, Mr. Stephen Jagboma, informed the house that arrangements were underway to deploy a police patrol team on campus to provide extra security between 9:00pm and 5:00am daily.

It was also agreed during the meeting that a communiqué be sent to management on the urgent need to improve campus security.

It was agreed that the communiqué will give management a seven-day window to respond, with copies forwarded to the ASUU and SSANU Chairmen, saying that “if management fails to respond after a reminder, an SOS will be sent to the Asagba of Asaba, Oshimili South LGA Chairman, the Commissioner of Police, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Special Adviser on Security, etc.”

Campus residents are also calling for a permanent armed Vigilante Group to be set up to man flashpoints around the campus, illegal camps (e.g., Akwuotosi, Musa Camp) to be raided since they serve as hideouts for criminal elements, a special campus security outfit to be registered and empowered to bear arms for residents’ and students’ protection.

They also want the 24-hour security shift to be replaced with a 12-hour shift, accommodation to be provided for security personnel to enable effective 12-hour shifts, just as they suggested that the Musa Camp, currently occupied illegally, should be vacated for this purpose.

They also hinted that it is important that the NDLEA be invited to raid Musa Camp and Area 74 to rid them of drug dealers.

Furthermore, they urged residents on campus to switch on outdoor lights at night to improve visibility and purchase whistles for use in emergencies, just as they noted that Akwuotosi Camp is serving as a regrouping point for IPOB and thus should be raided.

Attempts to reach the management of the institution proved abortive at the time of this report.