Suspected armed bandits on Wednesday attacked a private student hostel of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, along Paraga Road in Ipara, Ogun state, abducting no fewer than eight students of the institution.
Fackt online learnt that the attack which occurred at about 7:45 p.m. lasted for about 30 minutes, during which the suspected bandits fired gunshots.
Confirming the incident, the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Polytechnic
In a statement on Thursday, clarified that contrary to reports circulating on social media, no student was killed during the incident.
The statement was jointly signed by the SUG President, Comrade Akinpelu Bukunmi Timothy; the General Secretary, Comrade Salau Boluwaduro Saidat; and the Public Relations Officer, Comrade Matthew Francis Sonayon.
According to the union, the affected hostel is located in a remote area surrounded by thick vegetation, making it vulnerable to criminal attacks and unsuitable as a safe residential environment for students.
It added that while several students escaped by breaking through the POP ceiling of the building, others were unable to flee.
The statement reads in part “At approximately 7:45 p.m., suspected armed bandits attacked a private student hostel located along Paraga Road, Ipara. The hostel is situated in a remote area surrounded by thick bush, making it vulnerable and unsuitable as a safe residential environment for students.
“We can confirm that five students were abducted during the incident. The matter has been officially reported to the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies, and we are confident that immediate efforts are underway to ensure the safe rescue of the affected students.
“The attack lasted for approximately 30 minutes. Due to the isolated location of the hostel, residents in surrounding areas were unable to hear or respond to the incident in time. During the attack, the assailants fired gunshots; however, no student lost their life. By the grace of God, several students escaped through the POP ceiling, while others were unable to flee.”
The Students’ Union Government urged students, parents, guardians and members of the public to disregard what it described as false, exaggerated and unverified reports circulating on various social media platforms, noting that such misinformation only fuels panic and could undermine ongoing rescue efforts.
The union appealed to members of the institution’s community to remain calm and rely only on verified information from the school management, the Students’ Union Government and relevant security agencies.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed to Tribune Online that there were reports of abduction in the Ipara axis of the state.
While the PPRO did not confirm the number of people abducted, he disclosed that personnel of the Nigeria Police, especially men of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the Violent Crime Response Unit and other tactical teams, have been deployed to the area immediately.
When contacted by Tribune newspapers, the Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic promised to get back to our correspondent on the incident. However notice
