Delta polytechnic shut down as hoodlums invade hostels

Delta Polytechnic in Ogwashi Uku has been compelled to cease operations in response to a spate of assaults on students by marauding hoodlums.

The institution’s Rector, Prof. Emmanuel Achuenu, announced the closure during the weekend, with academic activities slated to resume Monday, February 26.

The Students Union Government (SUG) also issued a directive mandating all hostel residents to adhere to the management’s instruction to embark on a semi-semester break. Reports from Ogwashi-Uku indicate a significant exodus from both on-campus and off-campus hostels due to heightened fears of hoodlum attacks.

Numerous students have fallen victim to theft, with personal belongings such as phones and laptops being pilfered, while others have endured harrowing experiences of assault, including instances of sexual violence. Eyewitness accounts, including that of Chisom Gladys, paint a vivid picture of the brazenness with which the hoodlums operate, recounting incidents of forced entry into rooms, robberies, and even shootings.

The gravity of the situation has prompted the intervention of law enforcement authorities, with the State Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, summoning the area commander and divisional police officer in Ogwashi-Uku for urgent deliberations on the matter.