Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, has indefinitely suspended all academic activities following a surge in violent clashes and a worsening wave of kidnappings that have plunged the university town into turmoil.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Samuel Asagba, announced the emergency suspension in an official statement released on Wednesday, citing rising insecurity and the need to protect students and staff. The announcement comes ahead of a high-level security meeting summoned by Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, scheduled for Thursday at the Government House in Asaba.
“I wish to inform you all that due to the deteriorating security situation in Abraka town, I have directed all our students to remain indoors today, Thursday, June 5, 2025, until Management can guarantee the safety of staff and students,” the university’s statement read. “Consequently, lectures and other academic activities will not hold today. Let us all hope for a return to normalcy after the public holidays.”
This drastic measure follows a chilling incident on Wednesday, when a joint security operation in the Makati Bichi area near the railway station turned deadly. According to multiple sources, security operatives, alongside local vigilantes and railway staff, confronted a group of heavily armed kidnappers believed to be herdsmen. A fierce gun battle ensued, leaving at least four suspected kidnappers dead. Ransom money and weapons were reportedly recovered from the scene.
However, what followed the operation has ignited fears of ethnic violence and full-blown unrest. Enraged by the killings, some individuals believed to be from the Hausa community reportedly launched retaliatory attacks on innocent civilians. In one gruesome incident, two farmers were murdered in broad daylight, sparking panic and reprisals across Abraka.
“There have been a lot of kidnappings since the start of this year,” a resident told SaharaReporters. “This morning, local hunters, police, and railway workers tried to rescue some kidnapped victims. They were ambushed by armed herdsmen. After the confrontation, some northerners got angry, entered the bush, and murdered two farmers in retaliation.”
Another source added: “Two policemen were reportedly killed by the kidnappers during the exchange. In response, angry locals have started attacking Hausa residents indiscriminately. The situation is spiraling out of control.”
As ethnic tensions reached a boiling point, rumors of plans to raze the Hausa quarters in Abraka spread like wildfire. Eyewitness accounts and videos obtained by SaharaReporters depict scenes of utter chaos: armed mobs roamed the streets, buildings in Hausa-dominated neighborhoods were vandalized, and bodies lay in pools of blood, signaling a breakdown of law and order.
The violence also follows recent protests by DELSU students decrying the rising spate of abductions around the university environment. Students have grown increasingly fearful and frustrated, with many now fleeing Abraka amid the escalating unrest.
“There’s been an alarming rise in kidnappings,” a student explained. “We protested earlier this week, demanding action. Now four kidnappers were killed, and in response, some people from the Hausa community are claiming they were innocent and have started attacking people with knives and cutlasses. It’s terrifying.”
As the security situation worsens, both students and residents are calling on Governor Oborevwori and security agencies to intervene decisively to prevent a full-scale ethnic conflict and restore peace to the troubled university town.
Delta State University remains on lockdown, and with tensions at a fever pitch, there are growing concerns that the crisis could snowball into an even more deadly conflict if swift and strategic action is not taken.
PIONEER NEWS 