Contrary to the rumors of a bandit attack on Usmanu Danfodiyo University’s permanent campus in Sokoto State on Monday evening, the institution’s management has clarified that the incident was a robbery, not a bandit attack.
Addressing reporters in his office on Tuesday, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Lawal Bilbis, stated that it was a robbery and not the work of bandits, as had been speculated in certain circles. He urged the public and parents to stay calm, assuring them that there was no reason to be concerned about the safety of the students’ lives.
“Let me first and foremost appreciate your coming for an on-the-spot assessment of what really happened in the university so as to douse the ongoing tension as being speculated on social media.
“I was alerted by security officials in the school to an incident and when I arrived at the mini-mart where the incident happened at about 11 pm yesterday, it was observed that the case was that of a robbery and not a bandit attack.
“They took two cartons of Maltina drinks and eight phones of students which were being charged in some of the shops at the mart.
“I immediately alerted the security agents including the Nigeria Police, and NSCDC officials and they all responded by sending their men to the scene.”
Bilbis commended the security agents and the internal security architecture of the school for their prompt response to the incident.
