Alleged rape of nursing student sparks protest in Taraba

“When the first attack happened last week, we complained to the school authorities and the Commissioner of Tertiary Education visited the college and promised that security measures would be put in place in all the hostels, but nothing was done,” he said.

Following the latest incident, students gathered at the college gate to demand urgent intervention from the Taraba State Government and security agencies.

They called for stronger security around student accommodation and raised concerns over the continued use of hostels located outside the college despite the completion of new hostel facilities within the institution.

The student union official said the college had seven hostels, comprising one for male students and six for female students, but students were still accommodated outside the college premises.

“We have seven hostels, one for male and six for female, but students are all located outside the premises of the college and there is no adequate security, which exposed us, the students, to danger,” he said.

Ministry Had Earlier Recommended Hostel Relocation

The latest development follows a visit by the Taraba State Ministry of Tertiary Education to the College of Nursing Sciences after a reported robbery attack on students’ hostels on September 17.

The ministry said armed men had invaded the hostels, stolen mobile phones and assaulted some students.

According to the ministry’s assessment, 33 mobile phones were reportedly stolen during the incident, while some students sustained injuries. Three phones and a cutlass were recovered at the scene.

The ministry subsequently recommended urgent security measures around the hostels, intensified investigation by relevant security agencies and the relocation of students to safer accommodation.

It also called for the completion and commissioning of the college’s new hostel facilities.

The ministry’s delegation, led by its Secretary, Solomon Daniel Nathaniel, inspected the affected accommodation facilities and received reports from the college management regarding the security situation.

The ministry said the college had also raised concerns over the continued use of rented accommodation, noting that the three hostels currently occupied by students had reportedly been sold and the institution had been given notice to vacate the premises by November 2026.

It recommended engagement with relevant authorities and contractors to secure safer accommodation for the students, while prioritising the completion and commissioning of the new hostels.

The ministry also called for attention to the welfare and medical needs of students injured during the earlier attack and assured students, parents and the public that their safety and welfare remained a priority.

College Management Yet to Comment on Fresh Allegation

The Provost of the College of Nursing Sciences, Dr Dorcas Dugule, confirmed that she was handling the matter but declined to comment further at the time of contact.

The fresh protest has renewed calls for the authorities to address security concerns around student accommodation and expedite the provision of safer hostel facilities within the college premises.

The circumstances surrounding the latest reported attack, including the allegation of rape, require investigation by the relevant authorities.