bomb blast
Each passing day brings many worries to students and staff in
University of Maiduguri. Day by day, Students and staff eat their
hearts in fear recently when the school came under threat, the school
had never experienced these treats since the beginning of insurgency
seven years ago.
We can recall On Monday 16 January, 2017 marks the first major
onslaught on the university when students were writing their first
semester examination. The first blast occurred at a mosque within the
staff quarters at the time Muslim worshippers were busy concluding the
early morning prayer.
The University suspended the first semester examinations for one day
following the suicide bomb attacks that claimed the lives of four
persons, including a professor Aliyu Mani of Veterinary Medicine.
As depressing as this news is, history is being made today as the
management of the school in the past has done everything possible to
keep the academic environment safe despite the countless attacks
launched in the state by the dreaded Boko Haram group.
We thought that incident would be the first and last last in the
university especially when the Vice Chancellor, Abubakar Njodi said
the university will not be closed in spite Monday’s bomb blasts and
claims by the Federal Government that it has defeated the Boko Haram
sect following the military’s takeover of the sect’s fortress in
Sambisa Forest.
Unfortunately, we were proven wrong as Boko Haram launched another
attack where three suicide bombers were killed in the early hours of
Saturday 13 May, 2017 when they attempted to infiltrate the Department
of Works of the University. The incident occurred at about 1.10 a.m
Saturday night. Surprisingly it also happened when students are
writing their second semester examinations.
Apart from that, another suicide bombers on Friday 19 May 2017
infiltrated the University campus lunching an attack on the university
female hostel killing two security men on guard. Four explosions have
happened within the school campus that day.
Around 1.10am, we were sleeping in our rooms when we heard explosions
very close to us. We woke up in fear, Everywhere was dark, so we
didn’t know what was happening. After about 3 minutes, the bigger
explosion went off. It was so close and we saw the light before sound.
We started running out of the hostel towards another hostel. We later
settled in our hostels.
All these attacks continue to create fears in mind of students
especially in this critical time of writing their examinations. The
attacks disturb them and distract their attention from preparing for
their examinations. During explosions, the university became tense.
Students be stranded and discussing about the explosion.
It is really a big challenge to us as a Nation, The incident indicates
that the Boko Haram sect is still dangerous. Its bombing of schools is
a frontal attack on Western education, which the sect abhors. The
security agencies prosecuting the war against terrorists should invest
more in intelligence gathering and sharing.
There should be increased security at the University of Maiduguri and
other institutions of higher learning in the North-east. We call for
more strict security checks at mosques, churches and other places of
worship.
Even though the sect might have been largely reduced, its ability to
launch surprise attacks on soft targets must not be underestimated.
This ability has not been sufficiently curtailed, and this is where
government should direct its energy.
Every day, we wish this country could make this right. Oh, how we wish
this nation will be free from bomb blast, how we wish this country
will hold back to her glory days. Should we sit down and watch at the
dignity of our beloved nation being taken away by evil men? No. We
have to be security conscious to bring back our peaceful institutions
and nation.
Falmata Kyari Ahmad is 300 level students of Mass Communication
Department, University of Maiduguri.