JOSTUM Closes Campus Following Abduction of Students in Benue
In the wake of a kidnapping incident on the campus of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi (JOSTUM) in Benue State, the university’s management has ordered all students to vacate their hostels immediately.
The directive comes after three students were abducted by armed assailants near Zamfara Hostel and Ring Road in the university’s North Core area on Tuesday night.
To ensure the safety of students and allow time for security agencies to resolve the situation, the university has granted a one-week mid-semester break for all students.
An internal memo, signed by the Registrar, Dr. John U. David, instructed that students vacate the hostels by 4:00 pm on Wednesday.
The memo stated: “Following the unfortunate incident on campus (Tuesday, February 25th, 2025) around 8:00 pm, when unknown armed men abducted three students between Zamfara Hostel and Ring Road in North Core, the University Management, after consulting with security agencies and stakeholders, has resolved the following:
“The University Management strongly condemns the incident. Both the government and security agencies have been notified, and efforts are underway to secure the release of the abducted students.
“All staff, students, and the general public are urged to remain calm as security agencies continue to work on resolving the situation.
“Due to the incident, the inaugural lecture scheduled for today, February 26th, 2025, has been postponed indefinitely. In solidarity with the students and the families of the abducted students, the University Management has decided to grant a one-week mid-semester break to all students to address security concerns on campus.
“As such, all students are required to vacate the hostels by 4:00 pm today, Wednesday, February 26th, 2025.”
However, protests have erupted at the university, as students, especially those from outside Makurdi, have expressed frustration over the short notice to leave the hostels. Many of the students, whose homes are far away, have taken to the streets in protest against the university’s decision.
At the time of this report, the protests were still ongoing as students continued to voice their dissatisfaction with the management’s abrupt order.
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