No fewer than 17 students sustained varying degrees of injuries; and about nine female students were allegedly raped in the early hours of Friday, when a gang of suspected armed robbers raided over thirty off-campus hostels where students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, reside.
According to reports, the robbers numbered over 20 and stormed the Ifite road Awka where the hostels are located, shooting sporadically and robbing from room to room and hostel to hostel, at about 12 .30 am.
This lasted for about three hours; and they were unchallenged.
A student of the university who craved anonymity, told reporters that the robbers were heavily armed with guns, axes and machetes and sauntered from room to room, raping female students and robbing them of phones, iPads and money.
“We were at the hostel when we heard gunshots that lasted for about ten minutes and we ran for our lives because they had not gotten to our own hostel and we had hid at the back of some shops in the area.
“Then we heard loud noises of female students shouting for help but nobody could summon the courage to stop them because they were well armed.
“Those who attempted to resist were beaten blue black and many people got injured, but I cannot say the number of people affected,” he said.
“One of the female students that was raped is a virgin and they raped her twice and we are holding her because she wants to commit suicide.”
The student further narrated that: “The number of hostels in Ifite-Awka is about 300, including upstairs and bungalows; but from what we got after the incident, more than seventeen students were injured and that number of those raped may be nine or ten or even twelve.”
It was however gathered that a call was placed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo who ordered security operatives to battle the robbers but before they could arrive, the operation was over.
It would be recalled that four days before the incident, suspected robbers visited restaurants and bars, robbing students and bar owners at gunpoint between 7pm and 9pm.
This has led to restaurants in the area closing early, while some students have fled their hostels for fear of attacks.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident; “Our men on getting wind of the information, got to Ifite Awka and were able to battle the criminals.”
No figures of arrest were given by the police as according to him, making it public would interrupt investigations.
Meanwhile, there was a joint meeting between the university authorities and security operatives which also had in attendance a representative of the Anambra state government.