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People suspected to be a 7 – man robbery gang have invaded over two hostels in Abapawa community housing students of the state – owned Tai Solarin University Education (TASUED), Ijagun, and raped no fewer than four female students in the process.

The robbers who struck on Monday, started the robbery operations late night at the two hostels in Abapawa community, and they continued the attack until it spilled into the early morning of Tuesday before they left after dispossessing them of their phones and cash.

In one of the hostels housing female students, the hoodlums sexually abused four of the victims.

About a month earlier, similar attack was carried out on the students hostels in Abapawa where over 45 GSM phones were said to have been carted away while a yet – to – be determined cumulative amount of money was also taken from the students by the invading robbers who entered each of the no fewer than 22 – room hostels.

A source said each room of the hostel has at least two occupants while among those dispossessed of their phones and money last month include a female police officer, who is an undergraduate student of the university.

Reacting through the University Registrar, Dr. Dapo Oke, TASUED explained that: “One of the hostels attacked was a female hostel where after collecting their phones,money and other valuable items,the robbers raped and injured four Students.

“The raped victims were immediately moved to the University Health Centre, from where they were later taken to the General Hospital,Ijebu-Ode for further treatment.

“The Governor of the State and Visitor to the University, Prince (Dr) Dapo Abiodun MFR,CON represented by his Deputy, Engr.Noimot Salako Oyedele,the University Management Team and the Honourable Commissioner for Health in Ogun State, Dr Tomi Coker had promptly visited the students at the General Hospital to commiserate with them.
Considering the extent of injuries sustained by the students, the victims were transferred to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital(OOUTH) Sagamu, for adequate and comprehensive treatment.

“The Ogun State Government, in conjunction with the Police had promised to immediately resuscitate the moribund Police Post at Abapawa. It also called for an immediate meeting of all host communities leaders,the university management, student representatives, representatives of various security outfits, and other concerned stakeholders with a view of finding lasting solutions to the challenges.

“The University Management subsequently suspended the ongoing 2nd semester examinations to allow the Student Union to stage an awareness campaign against rape and other social vices on the Campus and it’s environ.
The university management is also aware that the incidence may have traumatised some of the students, thus not putting them in the best frame of mind for the examination. The exams will resume on Thursday,26th October, 2023.”

Also, the Ogun State Government has vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to book.

The State Government assured students of TASUED and the residents of Abapawa that it would do everything humanly possible to bring to book perpetrators of the unfortunate robbery and rape incident in the area, stressing that they would not go unpunished.

The State Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele who visited the victims at the State hospital, Ijebu Ode, before they were moved to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu for proper health care and rehabilitation under the instruction of the state government.

According to Oyedele, the State Government was notified of the unfortunate occurrence which happened during the robbery incident at Abapawa area of Ogun State in the early hours of Tuesday 24th Oct 2023 by the Local Government Chairman immediately on instructions of the Governor, security operatives led by the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force were dispatched to the scene of the incident.

She indicated that the Commissioner of Police himself had personally been to the scene of the incident since it was first reported and was working assiduously to ensure the culprits are apprehended to face the full wrath of the law.

And speaking later at a meeting with the University management team, representatives of the student body, the Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu as well as Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Alamutu, Engr Salako-Oyedele stressed the need to forestall further reoccurrence as it was one of the worst crimes against humanity.

“I am on a fact finding mission to establish what happened and what could be done to support the victims immediately and subsequently, apprehend the criminals and of course, prevent such a thing happening again” she said.

The Deputy Governor Charged the school management to work with the concerned community, the police and the students to develop stakeholder engagements to put in place mechanisms that will guarantee that the lives and properties of the students who live off campus are secured.

She promised that the victims will be given the needed support, medically, morally and emotionally to ensure they overcome the trauma and lead normal afterwards free from stigmatisation of any kind.

The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, said the news of the incident was very disheartening one, promising the aggrieved students union Representatives that government would do everything humanly possible to apprehend the criminals.

The State Commissioner for Police, Mr Abiodun Alamutu who expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the victims of the ugly incident, attributed the cause to lack of synergy amongst the security personnel in the communities where students reside, assuring that the perpetrators would be put to book.

Tai Solarin University of Education, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adekunle Adeogun, said the school management was bitter about the incident, explaining that since the incident happened the school management had been doing all within its power to support the victims appealing to the state government for more support to nip further occurrence in the mud.

The Student union President TASUED, Comrade Akinjetan Hamed, expressed displeasure about the incident, saying there was need for the management of the school to put in place a strong security apparatus to curtail further occurrence as well as directing private hostel owners to put in place adequate security measures in their respective hostels.