THE Federal Polytechnic Bauchi has been shut down indefinitely following a violent protest triggered by a robbery attack on the school’s male students’ hostel.
The unrest began in the early hours of Tuesday, August 12, when armed robbers reportedly invaded the hostel, injuring several students and carting away valuables including laptops, mobile phones, and cash.
Reports noted that the assailants, armed with weapons, attacked students who resisted them before fleeing the scene.
The robbery sparked outrage among students, who by morning took to the streets to protest what they described as a persistent lack of adequate security on campus.
The students protested on the Bauchi–Dass road. They reportedly mounted a blockade to prevent human and vehicular movements around the institution’s main entrance.
The protest, which was initially peaceful, escalated when suspected hoodlums, believed to be outsiders, joined the demonstrators, vandalising school property and further blocking highway near the institutions.
The management said efforts by the authority and staff to pacify the protesters were unsuccessful as the situation spiraled out of control.
Reports further indicated that police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, which sparked retaliation from some students who hurled stones before they were eventually overpowered.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Registrar, Kasimu Salihu, announced the immediate and indefinite closure of the institution.
He ordered all students to vacate the campus within two hours.
“Upon this sad development, students came out of the polytechnic main gate to express their justifiable frustration, calling on the management to act.
“While the management acted immediately, with all principal officers and management staff showing up to address the students and the situation, it has been established that hoodlums who do not mean well to the students and the institution had taken over what was meant to be a peaceful protest, “the registrar said.
“Against the background of this ugly situation, the management hereby orders the immediate closure of academic activities. By this order, students are given two hours within which to vacate the polytechnic campus, until further notice,” he added.
When The ICIR reached out to the Bauchi Police Command spokesperson, Mohammed Ahmed Wakil, he confirmed the incident, adding that he would release a press statement containing the full details.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M