Gunmen Invade UNILORIN Hostels, Brutalise Student, Flee with Valuables

• Armed robbers attacked UNILORIN students in their Oke Odo off-campus hostels, injuring one and stealing laptops, phones, and cash
• Victims were locked in their rooms by the gun-wielding assailants, with one student brutally assaulted for resisting the attackers
• The incident sparked renewed fears over student safety, with students calling for better security as similar attacks recently hit KWASU hostels in Malete

There was tension in the Oke Odo community of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, following an armed robbery attack on some off-campus hostels occupied by students of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) on Friday night.

Legit.ng gathered that the hoodlums, who came on foot, stormed the area around midnight and broke into multiple rooms across two hostels.

They dispossessed the students of their valuables including mobile phones, laptops, and cash.

Robbers cart away students' gadgets

According to one of the affected students who spoke with Legit.ng under the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, the robbers spared no male resident but curiously avoided robbing a female student in the compound.

“The thieves robbed 3 rooms out of 4, they left the only girl in the compound and robbed all the boys. They pointed a gun at one’s head, he isn’t even a student, just came to see his friend. He gave them his phone and laptops,” the eyewitness recounted.

He continued:

“When they got to the last hostel, the guy there tried to drag with them. That’s when they used their cutlass to hit him on the head and other places. He was brutally assaulted and was shouting at the top of his voice for help, but nobody could come out because of the gunshot they heard.”

Legit.ng learnt that after the robbery, the assailants locked the victims inside their rooms and fled the scene.

One of the boys managed to break a window with a cutlass, helping others escape.

“They came on foot so they couldn’t carry generators or TVs, which probably aided their swift escape,” the student added.

Legit.ng learned further that a Good Samaritan in the neighbourhood reportedly rushed the injured student to the hospital after the incident.

As of Sunday evening, Legit.ng gathered that the victim is responding well to treatment.

“We pray dearly for his recovery, he’s a strong man and we’re very positive that he will get better soon,” the source said.

At the time of filing this report, the university authorities and the police are yet to release an official statement on the incident.

Students bemoan rising cases of insecurity

Students in the affected area have expressed fear and frustration over rising insecurity around off-campus hostels.

Some students have also called on security agencies and community leaders to beef up surveillance in Oke Odo and other student-dense communities in Ilorin.

This attack on University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) came barely a week after similar incidents happened to Kwara State University KWASU students living in Malete.

To solve the insecurity issue, KWASU management decided to ban motorcycles from operating after 10:00 p.m.

All commercial activities and pedestrian movements were also banned from 11:00 p.m., and all generator sets must be turned off by midnight.

Furthermore, night parties were indefinitely prohibited within the Malete community.

UNILORIN graduate bags first class

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ebiomofari Omowumi Janet, a graduate of the Department of Agriculture at the University of Ilorin, defied the odds and proved that hard work can rewrite destinies by making it out with a first class from the citadel of learning.

In an interview with Legit.ng, Janet said she began her academic journey with a mere 1.3 CGPA. For many, such a beginning would signify the end.

Source: Legit.ng