Panic gripped students of the College of Engineering, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ibogun campus, in the early hours of Saturday as about 12 armed men reportedly stormed hostels, injuring occupants and carting away valuables.
It was gathered that the attackers, armed with guns and other weapons, forcefully broke into students’ rooms, dispossessing them of mobile phones, jewellery and other personal items.
Sources disclosed that the hoodlums also inflicted machete cuts on some of the victims during the operation.
A vehicle stolen during the raid was, however, later abandoned by the suspects, reportedly after running out of fuel.
The latest incident comes amid growing concerns over repeated security breaches in the area, with students said to have staged a protest earlier over incessant attacks on their residences in the past three months.
Confirming the development, the President of the Nigerian Universities Engineering Students Association, Oluwafemi Aderupatan, lamented the persistent harassment of students by suspected criminals.
“For the past three months, these hoodlums have continued to terrorise us. We have been reporting to the police regularly, but the situation persists,” he said.
He added that about 10 students were affected during the attack, with several sustaining injuries, while another hostel recorded the theft of about six phones.
Aderupatan noted that security agencies, including the police and operatives of the Department of State Services, as well as the community’s traditional ruler and the college provost, had visited the scene and assured students of improved safety.
“We just want to be safe. Authorities must act swiftly to protect innocent students from these repeated attacks,” he added.
Reacting, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, said the university was collaborating with relevant authorities to address the security challenges.
“The situation is being thoroughly assessed with a view to finding a lasting solution,” he stated.
Also confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, said investigations were ongoing, adding that additional security personnel had been deployed to the area to forestall further attacks.