While security agencies and authorities of the University of Abuja are still finding it difficult to come to terms with the attack and abduction of six people from its staff quarters on Tuesday night, another set of gunmen made an – attempt on the institution’s main campus, on Wednesday, almost killing a lecturer.
Sources who witnessed the latest attack said the unknown gunmen invaded the permanent site of the University at about 11 am on Wednesday morning and attacked one Dr. David Okoroafor, a lecturer from the Economics department right inside his office.
Dr. Okoroafor who confirmed the attack in a telephone chat, alleged that the perpetrators were bent on killing him, stressing that he narrowly escaped death by sheer providence.
He also confirmed the attack, in a message he sent to ASUU officials.
Okoroafor said, “Dear ASUU members and UNIABUJA Community, I wish to formally bring to your notice that today, Wednesday (3/11/2021) I was attacked in my office located at Room 6, 1st floor, Faculty of Social building, at the permanent site.
“At exactly 10 am, when I arrived the building, opened my office and began to pray in my usual way, suddenly two men brandishing weapon bunched into the office and ordered me to lay down flat on my face or they blew me up.
“I pounced on them and the gun. But the duo started to hit me hard. I began to shout on the top of my voice for help. When my voice went higher, they ran out and students pursued after them. But when they brandished their gun, the students became afraid and ran back, giving them room to escape into the bush.
“But during the scuffle in my office, their car key fell off which I picked and handed over to the University security unit.”
Recall that on Tuesday, the UniAbuja community was thrown into mourning when some unspecified number of bandits invaded the staff quarters of the University located at Giri, along Abuja-Lokoja expressway, attacked staff and their family members, and made away with six people.
The development has left fears and panic among students and lecturers of the university, who had previously lamented the poor state of security in the almost three decades institution and their environs, particularly the increasing number of strange faces and movements within the school campus.
Although efforts are on by security agents to rescue the victims, it is believed that the abducted persons include a nine-year-old son of Prof. Bassey Ubong and his housemaid, one deputy registrar identified as Malam Mohammed Sambo, one Prof. Sumaila Obansa Joseph with his son and one Dr. Tobins Ferguson Hamilton.
