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.