Armed Robbers Attack UNIZIK Hostels, Rape 9 Female Students, Injure Many Others

Armed robbers have attacked some off-campus hostels housing the students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State (UNIZIK) along Ifite road, Awka, the state capital.

UNIZIK Students Attacked

It was gathered that no fewer than 17 UNIZIK students sustained varying degrees of injury while about nine female students were allegedly raped after the armed robbers raided the hostels in the early hours of Friday.

According to reports, the robbers who were estimated to be about 20 stormed the area with weapons, shooting sporadically, robbing and raping the girls from room to room for hours.

A student of the university said the robbers, heavily armed with guns, axes, and matchets, went from hostel to hostel, dispossessing them of their phones, ipads, money, and other valuables unchallenged.

“We were at the hostel when we had gunshots that lasted for about ten minutes and we ran for our lives because they had not gotten to our own hostel; we hid at the back of some shops in the area.

“Then we had loud noise of female students shouting for help but nobody could summon the courage to stop them because they are well armed. Those that attempted to resist were beaten blue black and many people got injured but I cannot say the number of people affected.

“The number of hostels in the area, including upstairs, is about 300, but from what we got after the incident more than 17 students were injured, while those rapped may be nine or ten.”

The student said one of the victims who claimed to be a virgin threatened to take her life after she was raped, but could not further the plan following their intervention.

“One of the female students that was raped is a virgin and they raped her twice and we are holding her because she wants to commit suicide,” the student added.

It was gathered that a call was placed to Anambra Governor, Charles Soludo who ordered security operatives to battle the robbers but before they could arrive, the operation was almost over.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga confirmed the incident, saying “Our men on getting wind of the information got to Ifite Awka and was able to battle the criminals.”

Ikenga did not disclose how many people that were arrested, as according to him, making it public would interrupt the ongoing investigations into the incident.

KanyiDaily had also reported how a 17-year-old female student of UNICAL was raped to a state of coma by armed robbers who raided her hostel to rape all her female colleagues in Calabar.