THE Vice Chancellor of the university of Jos, Tanko Ishaya, a professor, has confirmed the death of two students of the institution during the recent unrest in Jos North Local government area of Plateau State.

Ishaya made this known during a news conference in Jos on April 9.

THE ICIR reported that the violence began on March 29 when gunmen attacked the Angwan Rukuba community, an area where many students and staff of the university reside.

The attack led to several deaths and injuries and forced the state government to impose a 48-hour curfew. Although the curfew was later lifted on April 1, reports indicate that the violence spread to other nearby communities.

According to the vice chancellor, aside from the two fatalities, several others linked to the institution were harmed, including students and a staff member who are currently undergoing medical care.

He said the deceased were identified as Abel Gershon, a third-year student studying Building, and Adeyemo Temitope, a final-year student studying Quantity Surveying.

“Abel Gershon was shot in the stomach on March 29 and admitted to the intensive care unit of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). Unfortunately, he died on Sunday, April 5,” Ishaya said,

Temitope left the campus alone on April 1 and encountered violence along Bauchi Road. He was shot and macheted to death by hoodlums.

“We have a total of five members of the university community affected by this incident: four students and one staff member,” the vice chancellor stated.

He extended his sympathies to the bereaved families and noted that those hospitalised were showing signs of recovery. Despite the situation, he assured that the institution remained secure, and that its campuses had not been directly targeted since the conflict in the state began.

He further explained that academic activities would proceed as planned, with students expected to return on April 13.

While appealing to parents and guardians to allow their children to resume their studies and continue their examinations, he assured that additional safety measures had been put in place within the school and nearby areas.

The ICIR reports that many students at the university were quickly evacuated by their state governments, while others left the school environment on their own.