The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called upon President Bola Tinubu to direct his Education Minister, Tahir Mamman, to collaborate with security forces in establishing specialized security units within state commands. This call comes in response to the ongoing security breaches plaguing universities, including attacks on female hostels and sexual violations by armed individuals, which HURIWA characterizes as coordinated acts of terrorism and a national crisis.
Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Director of HURIWA, expressed deep concern over the escalating menace and urged the government to prioritize the security of university assets. He strongly criticized the lack of effective and proactive security measures from both federal and state governments to combat the rising tide of crime. Onwubiko stated, “We find it disconcerting that for many years the tertiary institutions in Nigeria are being attacked and female students systematically raped and violated, but these heinous crimes against humanity have not received the kind of attention from the office of Nigeria’s president as it should.”
He emphasized the urgency of the situation and proposed the creation of an immediate security taskforce to address these issues comprehensively. Onwubiko pointed to specific incidents, including a recent attack at the University of Calabar, a robbery at Rivers State University in Port Harcourt, and a robbery targeting students at the University of Ibadan, as alarming examples of the persistent security challenges that continue to afflict university campuses across the nation.
