Hundreds of students of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, staged a peaceful protest on Monday, September 21, following an alleged overnight attack on a female hostel located outside the institution’s premises.
The attackers reportedly invaded the hostel in the early hours of Monday, dispossessing students of their phones and other valuables before allegedly assaulting a female student.
According to sources, the student was allegedly sexually assaulted and suffered serious injuries, including the loss of one of her fingers during the attack.
She was subsequently taken to GSCN Hospital in the Mile 6 area of Jalingo for medical treatment.
A students’ union official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the incident was the second attack on students’ hostels within two weeks.
According to the official, students had reported the first attack to the college authorities, following which the Commissioner for Tertiary Education visited the institution and promised to strengthen security around the hostels.
However, the students alleged that adequate security measures had not been implemented before the latest incident.
The students subsequently gathered at the college gate to demand urgent intervention from the Taraba State Government and security agencies.
They also called for the relocation of students from vulnerable hostels outside the college premises to safer accommodation, particularly as new hostel facilities within the institution are reportedly awaiting completion and commissioning.
The students’ union official said the college has seven hostels — one for male students and six for female students — but that students continue to live in accommodation outside the institution where security is considered inadequate.
The latest incident comes days after the Taraba State Ministry of Tertiary Education visited the college following an earlier robbery attack on students’ hostels.
The ministry had reported that armed men stole 33 mobile phones and assaulted several students during the earlier incident. Three phones and a cutlass were reportedly recovered at the scene.
Following its assessment, the ministry recommended urgent security measures, intensified investigation and the relocation of students to safer accommodation. It also called for the completion and commissioning of the college’s new hostel facilities.
The Provost of the college, Dr Dorcas Dugule, confirmed that she was handling the latest development but declined to comment further at the time.
As of the latest reports, there had been no detailed public statement from the Taraba State Police Command confirming the alleged sexual assault or identifying any suspects.
The students are demanding immediate action from the authorities to improve security and prevent further attacks on their accommodation facilities.
