Suspected armed robbers have reportedly invaded some hostels in the Rivers State University in Port Harcourt dispossessing students of their valuables and sexually assaulted two female students on Wednesday.
It was learnt that the hoodlums had invaded Female Hostel D late Wednesday night operated unchallenged.
Reports revealed that the criminals who were armed with guns and machetes, stormed the hostels before resorting to sexually harassing at least two of their female victims.
The unfortunate incident had caused pandemonium as female students took to protest within the campus, lamenting repeated criminal attacks in their hostels.
Some of the students who spoke on condition of anonymity said they have been repeatedly harassed by criminals, adding that the state university has not been proactive to address the insecurity.
One of the protesters said, “The boys come into the hostel from the backside where our laundering room is. They fingered some girls, raped some and took many phones and laptops. After all these the school security is telling us to wait, wait for what? if we are their daughters will they allow this happen to them?”
Another of the protesters claimed that individuals are allowed access into the school late at night if they could pay N1000 to bribe the security personnel mounting the gates, adding that the school security is complicit in the incident.
She said, “There is no way you will say these criminals came from inside the schoool they came from the outside. If you are coming from outside that late you have to bribe the school security N1000. They will take 1000, then they will allow you inside he school.
“If they actually broke through the school security it then means the school security is involved. There were gunshots, there is no way the school security will claim they did not hear and the Mile 3 police is just here but they did not do anything.”
Meanwhile, police personnel led by the Chief Security Officer of the university, Chief Chukuwma Ebere, had arrived the scene to plead with the protesting students assuring them that they will address the issues.
While confirming the development, the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, quickly said normalcy has since be restored in the institution.
The PPRO said, “The Rivers State Police Command, having received a report of an armed robbery attack at the Rivers State University female hostel, the CP directed the DC Operations, Area Commander, Port Harcourt, and the DPO Nkpolu to provide adequate security on the campus.
“The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Nwonyi Polycarp Emeka, has called for vigilance and urged students, parents, and the school management to take advantage of the Police Control Room numbers for reporting suspicious activities.”
