Bauchi State was thrown into turmoil on Tuesday as a peaceful protest by students of the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi erupted into chaos when mobile police officers stormed the scene, firing volleys of teargas to disperse the crowd.
The students had gathered to voice their outrage over a violent armed robbery that swept through their campus the previous night, leaving several victims injured and stripped of their belongings. Eyewitnesses described the robbery as a “terror-like invasion” that not only robbed students of their possessions but also their sense of safety.
“They came in like a storm—armed to the teeth—robbing and torturing students. It was terrifying,” recounted David Adenuga, a resident of the area. “But instead of getting protection, we were met with teargas from the police.”
For many, this latest robbery was the tipping point in a long-standing security crisis plaguing both the institution and its host community, Yelwa–Gwallameji.
“Insecurity here has been like a ticking time bomb,” lamented another witness, Umar Usman Duguri. “There have been countless robbery cases. Last night was just one of many, but it broke the camel’s back. Even residents joined the students in protest, yet the police responded with brute force.”
The tense standoff has since forced the management of the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi to announce an indefinite shutdown of the institution. Meanwhile, Gwallameji, once a bustling student community, has been described as a “no-go area” amid a heavy police presence and simmering anger from residents and students alike.
With fears of further unrest, questions loom large over why a community plagued by insecurity was met with crackdowns instead of protection.
PIONEER NEWS 