In a heart–wrenching incident at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi, a 500-level Geology student, Joseph Agabaidu, met a tragic end while attempting to retrieve his girlfriend’s snatched handbag. The Bauchi State Police Command disclosed that assailants attacked Agabaidu as he tried to help his girlfriend, ultimately leading to his stabbing and subsequent death in the hospital.
The incident, which occurred around 7:00 pm on Saturday, prompted a protest by students expressing their frustration with inadequate security on and around the campus. The protest led to the school’s closure, with students instructed to vacate the campus immediately due to disruptions caused by what the management referred to as “miscreants.”
According to the police statement signed by Public Relations Officer Ahmed Wakil, the assailants, whose identity remains unknown, snatched the handbag of Agabaidu’s girlfriend, Philomena Ahobee, a student of Abubakar Tatari Polytechnic. In an attempt to retrieve the bag, Agabaidu was stabbed in the chest. Despite being rushed to the ATBU Teaching Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
The police commissioner, CP Auwal Mohammed, met with the leaders of two student bodies, NUBAS and SUG, to address the situation. The police statement highlighted that the students expressed their dissatisfaction with the violent protest, acknowledging the CP’s swift response in handling the situation.
The police assured the students of increased security presence and deployed intelligence and operational assets to the affected areas. CP Auwal Mohammed emphasized the police’s commitment to protecting citizens’ lives and properties, urging the students to seek conflict resolution through dialogue rather than resorting to violence.
The police commissioner condemned the students’ act of taking the law into their own hands, emphasizing the need for professionalism and reconciliation in addressing disputes. He pledged efforts to apprehend the culprits responsible for Agabaidu’s tragic death, assuring that justice would be served unfailingly. The incident underscores the vulnerability of students and the imperative for heightened security measures on university campuses.
