In a shocking incident that occurred late on Wednesday night, armed criminals forcibly entered one of the female hostels at Rivers State University (RSU), robbing the terrified students and subjecting some of them to sexual assault.
The criminals, armed with guns and machetes, gained access to “Hostel D” by breaking through the laundry room wall. Once inside, they stole valuables such as phones, laptops, Point of Sale machines, and other personal belongings.
While reports suggest that at least two students were sexually molested, the exact number of victims is yet to be confirmed.
The female students staged a protest on Thursday morning, expressing their frustration over the recurring incidents and the lack of preventive measures taken by the university authorities to ensure their safety.
Responding to the protest, Acid Ebere, the Chief Security Officer of RSU, arrived at the scene to address the aggrieved students and assured them that appropriate action would be taken to address the security challenges.
As of now, no official statement from the Chief Security Officer has been released to the press.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has acknowledged the reports of the armed robbery incident at the RSU female hostel.
In a statement issued by the Command Public Relations officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, it was revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Nwonyi Polycarp Emeka, has instructed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, the Area Commander of Port Harcourt, and the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Nkpolu to provide enhanced security measures within the campus vicinity.
Furthermore, the Commissioner of Police urged students, parents, and the school management to utilize the Police Control Room hotline numbers (08032003514 and 08098880134) for prompt reporting of any suspicious activities.