Midnight Hostel Raid: Nine Ebonyi Health College Students Injured as Hoodlums Invade Female Hostel

Nine students of Ebonyi College of Health Science and Technology, Ngbo, in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, sustained injuries after suspected hoodlums attacked the institution’s female hostel in the early hours of Tuesday.

The college’s Provost, Princess Chetachi Usulor, confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday, revealing that the attackers stormed the hostel at about 1:20 a.m., making away with phones, cash, ATM cards and other valuables belonging to students.

According to the provost, the hoodlums invaded the hostel and began demanding valuables from occupants before fleeing when security agencies responded to a distress call.

“I called the police control room, the divisional police headquarters and homeland security personnel. As people started arriving at the scene, the hoodlums fled,” Usulor said.

She explained that the attackers escaped through one of several access points around the campus, a situation she linked to the institution’s unfenced surroundings. While noting that the state government had previously released funds for the fencing project, she said additional resources were required to complete the work.

Usulor clarified that the nine injured students were not physically attacked by the hoodlums. Instead, they sustained injuries after jumping from the one-storey hostel building while attempting to escape or protect their belongings.

“Some of the students living upstairs jumped through the windows out of fear or while trying to hide their phones. Those currently receiving treatment sustained injuries from the fall,” she explained.

The affected students were immediately taken to hospital for medical examinations, including X-rays and scans, to determine the severity of their injuries.

“About nine students are receiving medical attention. We want to be sure there are no complications involving their spinal cords or waists before they are discharged,” the provost added.

She also dismissed reports that any student was missing following the attack, stressing that all students had been accounted for.

Meanwhile, the college management has raised concerns over the possibility of insider involvement. Usulor disclosed that some victims claimed a female was among the attackers and allegedly directed the hoodlums to specific rooms.

She said reports that the attackers repeatedly asked for a particular individual had heightened suspicions, adding that the police were investigating whether anyone assisted the criminals.

“That is one of the issues the police are investigating. It is their responsibility to determine whether anyone was involved in aiding the attackers,” she said.

The provost further revealed that security personnel on duty during the incident were being questioned as part of ongoing investigations.

To strengthen security and prevent future attacks, the college has reached an agreement with security stakeholders in Ohaukwu Local Government Area to provide enhanced protection around the institution.

Under the new arrangement, police officers, local vigilantes and homeland security personnel will provide round-the-clock surveillance, while local operatives will help identify suspicious individuals. The decision followed reports that the attackers communicated in the Ngbo dialect during the operation.