Three Months Serial Robbery: Unizik Medical Students Cry For Help

For close to 3month now, the students of the College
of Health Sciences, Okofia-Nnewi campus have not
known peace. The students of the College live in
perpetual fear of harassment, burglary, armed
robbery attacks from men of the underworld.
The robbers who are usually armed with daggers,
guns, machetes etc specialize in burglary, snatching
of bags, stealing of phones, laptops, tablets, cars,
motorbikes etc at gun point, and even stealing
during evening classes(night class) when students
come to read overnight.
According to a student of the college who spoke on
condition of anonymity, valuables worth millions of
naira have been stolen by the thieves since august,
2015. These valuables include a car, motorcycles,
laptops, tablets, phones, generator sets, money etc.
She also lamented that several lodges have
experienced the terrifying attack of the robbers
including New heaven lodge, Ivy crystal, Madonna
extension(Unity), Grand villa, Villa park, Good
shepherd, Triumphant city. Mega lodge etc.
In her words, "The serial robbery started while we
were writing our semester exams around august
when student was robbed of her car and escalated
during the vacation period." She said that MBBS
students, nursing students are still in school in
order to enable them prepare for their professional
examinations. "We are no longer safe in this
community. We are no longer safe even inside our
classrooms. We now live in fear everyday because
nobody knows who will be the next victim." She
added.
One of the medical students who looked obviously
infuriated by the situation urged the Commissioner
of Police, Anambra state to as matter urgency
deploy mobile policemen to the village to ensure the
security of lives and property. He also informed us
that the university management was aware of the
situation and has promised to inform relevant
security operatives.
The College of Health Sciences is the medical
campus of Nnamdi Azikiwe University. The college
has 3 faculties and 8 departments including
Medicine, Nursing, Radiography, Medical Laboratory
Sciences, Physiotherapy, Anatomy, Physiology and
Environmental health (diploma). The roads leading
to the College are almost are in a bad state and a
proposed hostel project was seen abandoned by the
Central Bank of Nigeria. Ongoing projects within the
Campus included the internal road project, Faculty
of health science building, Classroom blocks and an
administrative building (donated by Dr. Cletus
Ibeto).
We urge the Police to swing into action to put end to
what can best be described as a serial robbery
attacks by deadly and desperate robbers. Our future
doctors, nurses and medical personnel deserve to
study in a conducive environment and not in an
atmosphere of fear