Delta State polytechnic in Ogwashi-Uku has been shut down for one-week following the continuous attacks on student hostels in parts of the community by thugs.
The Rector of the institution, Prof. Emmanuel Achuenu, announced the closure of the Polytechnic on Friday for the safety of students as they are expected to resume academic activities on Monday, February 26.
It was learned that victims of the attacks had been dispossessed of valuables such as laptops, handsets and personal effects by the armed hoodlums, who also forced them to transfer money to their accounts.
Within the period of closure, the school management, Students Union Government (SUG), the community and security agencies would monitor and take appropriate measures to curb the security breaches.
The Students Union Government, SUG, of the school also issued a statement ordering all students in the hostels to comply with the management’s directive to proceed on semi semester break.
An eyewitness, who gave her name as Chisom Gladys, narrated how one of the armed robbers had to scale the fence of the hostel and unlock the gate for the rest of the robbers after their attempts to break the gate failed.
According to her, the armed robbers came in their numbers, proceeded to tie up the two vigilante security men in the compound and ordered them not to make noise or they would be shot.
“They went to the first room, bending the steel protector and pulling out the rods in the casement window in order to gain entrance and proceeded to rob the boy who stays in the room, all the time discussing how they were going to share the money.
“They robbed the first room in the block, carting away phones and other valuables and it was in the second room that they shot the boy residing there on the leg.
“The boy was shot twice, but the first bullet failed to penetrate his body, while he was able to extract the second bullet from his leg by himself before the police arrived and took him to the hospital hours later.
“The last room that was robbed, immediately he woke up and saw the robbers, he tried to run inside the house but he was caught and beaten thoroughly with cutlasses and other weapons,” narrated Chisom.
Meanwhile, the State’s Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, has summoned the Area Commander and the Divisional Police Officer in Ogwashi-Uku over the matter, noting that the institution was closed down because of possible protest over the spate of robberies, by students.
