In a shocking incident, at least ten female students were raped and robbed when a group of armed robbers broke into six off-campus student hostels near the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State. The hoodlums, numbering around 20, reportedly stormed the area at around 8:00 pm on Thursday, moving from one hostel to another until 5:00 am on Friday, during which they not only robbed the students of their valuables but also sexually assaulted some of the female students.
The incident comes just a few days after a similar attack where hoodlums killed security personnel and a 200-level student in the same area. It is believed that the robbers have been frequenting local restaurants and bars, robbing both students and bar owners at gunpoint between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm on a daily basis.
In response to this alarming situation, an emergency security meeting was held between the Anambra State Police Command, the management of Nnamdi Azikwe University, the Student Union Government, and the commissioner for homeland security affairs. The meeting, which took place at the Vice Chancellor’s conference hall, aimed to address the recent security breaches in some of the hostels along Ifite.
According to one victim of the incident, who identified herself as Nkiru, the robbers were heavily armed with guns, axes and machetes, and they made away with money, phones, laptops, and other possessions. She added that those who were injured were those who had shown resistance when the robbers knocked on their doors.
Another source said that residents of the area had contacted the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and shortly after, security personnel arrived on the scene around 6:00 am to calm the situation. The state police spokesman, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, saying that security operatives had stormed the area as soon as they were alerted and were able to battle the criminals to a standstill.
Ikenga also confirmed that a joint meeting had been held on Friday between the university authorities and the security operatives, with a representative of the Anambra State government in attendance. He added that the police have since embarked on an intensive patrol, improved operational positioning, and deployment of covert operatives to address the security situation in the area.
Efforts to get a statement from the university spokesperson, Mrs. Gladys Ene, were unsuccessful as she did not respond to calls or messages.
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