Delta state polytechnic in Ogwashi Uku, Aniocha South council area has been shut down for one-week following the incessant attacks on student hostels in parts of the community by hoodlums.

The Rector of the institution, Prof. Emmanuel Achuenu, announced the closure on Friday for the safety of students as they are expected to resume academic activities on Monday, February 26.

However, the state Police Commissioner, Abaniwonda Olufemi, had summoned the Area Commander and the Divisional Police officer in Ogwashi over the matter, adding that the institution was closed because of possible protest by students.

The Police boss said security had been beefed up in the polytechnic town, stating that the force is entirely on top of the situation.

Meanwhile, the students ‘ union of the school, on Saturday, issued a statement ordering all students in the hostels to comply with the management directive to proceed on semester break.

In the statement signed by its President, Comrade Victor Anthony, Secretary General, Onugege Graham, and Public relations officer, Utomi Williams Blessings , the union assured that within the period, the school management, SUG, the community and security agencies would monitor and take appropriate measures that would be used to curb the high insecurity now common in student hostels.

Reports from Ogwashi Uku said most of the hostels along Azagba road (Polytechnic road) especially from African House to the school and those inside the campus have been deserted for fear of attacks by the criminals.

Our correspondent gathered that victims of the serial attacks had lost handsets, laptops to the gangsters who also forced them to transfer money in their accounts to them, while also raping some female students and shooting anyone who resisted.

The reports further revealed that the high spate of robberies on student hostels started a few weeks ago from Azagba Ogwashi community where students reside and later spread to Ogbe-Ofu axis of Ogwashi-Uku metropolis.

An eyewitness who gave her name as Chisom Gladys, narrated how one of the armed robbers had to scale the fence of the hostel and unlock the gate for the rest of the armed robbers after their attempts to break the gate failed.

According to her, the armed robbers came in their numbers, proceeded to tie up the two vigilante security men in the compound and ordered them not to make noise or they would be shot.

“They went to the first room, bent the steel protector and pulled out the rods in the casement window in order to gain entrance and proceeded to rob the boy who stays in the room, all the time discussing how they were going to share the money.

“The second room was occupied by a girl so they did not put much effort into trying to break down the door, and after a few tries, they moved to the third room which happened to be empty at that time.

“If they had continued breaking down the doors like that, they would have come across my room, but it seems they noticed that most of the persons staying in the first block of the hostel were girls, so they switched to the second block which was occupied by boys, and that was how I escaped being robbed.

“They robbed the first room in the block, carting away phones and other valuable properties and it was in the second room that they shot the boy residing there on the leg.” (Sunday Tribune)

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