A wave of panic swept through the Ezekwe Female Hostel at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK, Awka, on Sunday evening after students spotted an unidentified man suspected to be a herdsman within the premises of the female only residence. The incident has sparked heightened anxiety among students and renewed concerns about campus security.
According to SaharaReporters, the man was first seen wandering close to the hostel. Students raised the alarm and a crowd quickly formed around him before campus security officials intervened and took him away for questioning.
The development unsettled many residents, who said they were already anxious due to widespread conversations about insecurity across several parts of the country. The sudden appearance of an unknown man in a restricted female hostel area intensified their fears.
One student, Chiago Stephanie, described the atmosphere as chaotic and frightening.
“As we speak, there is high tension in UNIZIK,” she said. “How did a man enter our female hostel? Now they are saying he is mentally challenged. Where did he come from, and how did he end up here if there were no hidden intentions?”
She added that the man’s behaviour became more erratic once students confronted him. This created further suspicion and confusion.
“We were all scared because he started acting like someone not mentally stable,” she said. “The real question is how he entered the hostel unnoticed.”
A university official who confirmed the incident, speaking on condition of anonymity, urged the public to avoid sensationalising the situation. He insisted that the school was not invaded, contrary to speculation circulating on social media.
“There is nothing like an invasion of the students hostel by a Fulani herdsman or anyone else,” the official said. “An unidentified person was seen around the hostel premises. He was caught by the safety department and during interrogation it appeared the person was mentally imbalanced.”
The official acknowledged the students fears and noted that the tense security climate in the country naturally makes people more sensitive to unfamiliar movements.
“Considering what is happening across Nigeria, seeing an unknown male figure inside a female hostel will certainly raise alarm,” he said.
University authorities confirmed that the individual had no weapon or suspicious item in his possession. This supports the belief that he may not have entered the area with harmful intent.
“Nothing was found on him, no weapon or harmful object,” the official said. “He was taken to the safety department office for further interrogation and based on available findings, he appears mentally unstable. The speculation that he was an invader is not supported by any evidence.”
Students Demand Stronger Security Measures
Despite the clarification from school officials, many students remain shaken. Several residents expressed concerns about the ease with which an unauthorized male gained access to a supposedly secured female only hostel.
Students are now calling on the university management to tighten security around all hostel facilities, install more surveillance equipment and increase the number of security personnel on patrol, especially at night.
Some also demanded immediate communication from the school authorities to prevent the spread of misinformation and to reassure the student community.
Efforts by SaharaReporters to obtain further clarification from the university’s Public Relations Officer, Njelita Louis, were unsuccessful. The PRO acknowledged the incident and said the management would release an official statement addressing what happened and outlining new measures to prevent future security breaches. As at the time of filing this report, no official statement had been issued.
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