Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, has been forced to close its doors following a violent protest triggered by the tragic killing of a final year Geology student, Joseph Agabaidu.
The 500-level student fell victim to suspected armed robbers, who fatally stabbed him during an attempt to steal his mobile phone.
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The incident, which occurred near Yelwan Tudu market in the Yelwa area, sparked outrage among the student body.
A multitude of students gathered at the Yelwa Campus, expressing their anger over the perceived lack of security in and around the university premises. Their primary demands were directed at both the university management and the government.
Efforts to quell the protest by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sani Kunya, and the state chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities proved futile.
The students, adamant and locked in their grievances, refused to open the university gates, prompting the management to make the unprecedented decision to shut down the institution for a week.
In an official statement titled ‘Closure of University’, Deputy Registrar Academic, Fatima Abdullahi, cited the disruption of peace caused by the protest as the reason for the closure.
“As you may recall, there was an alleged murder of Joseph Agabaidu, a 500-level student Applied Geology recently at Yelwa Kagadama which made some miscreants embark on protest around Yelwa Campus and consequently disrupting the peace,” the deputy registrar academic Abdullahi said.
She continued: “In view of the above, the Vice Chancellor, on behalf of the Senate, has approved the closure of the university for an initial period of one week with effect from Monday, December 4 to Sunday, December 10, 2023.
“Therefore, I am directed to request all undergraduate students on both campuses to vacate the university premises with immediate effect as failure to comply may lead to appropriate sanction by the constituted authority.”
The Vice Chancellor, acting on behalf of the Senate, approved the shutdown from Monday, December 4, to Sunday, December 10, 2023.
All undergraduate students were directed to vacate the premises immediately, with strict compliance to be enforced by the university’s security personnel.
As the campus grapples with the aftermath of Agabaidu’s murder and the ensuing unrest, the university administration aims to restore order and tranquility during this unexpected hiatus.
