A student of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in Borno State was killed as soldiers and Boko Haram insurgents clashed. The insurgents had attempted to rescue their detained colleagues in the nearby Giwa Barracks.
The victim, a direct entry student, was hit by bullets in his Tafawa Balewa Hostel. He was said to have resumed a few days ago. His body was brought to the university’s Central Mosque on Saturday for Janazah prayer and burial according to Islamic rites.
A 400-Level Adult Education student, Abdulmumini Abubakar, was also hit by a bullet while going to the campus for a lecture in a taxi. He is at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Other students injured in the melee were taken to the university clinic.
Guns boomed for several hours as the university was caught in the crossfire. About 60 insurgents were killed. A deafening explosion rocked the campus during the clash. Rocket launchers fired by the sect members shattered the louvers and ceiling of the ETF Building.
Students going for lecture ran back to their hostels when the building was hit. Those in lecture rooms ran in different directions. During the battle, the university was tense; students hid in wardrobes and toilets.
A 300-Level Accountancy student, who was at the Science Complex when a rocket launcher hit the building, said: “We were in class when we heard a deafening sound. The hall was shaken. We even thought the explosion happened right behind us because of the bang. We all fled in different directions.”
Students were frightened, with many thinking that the insurgents had invaded the campus. Some students ran towards the University Gate 5, which leads to Mairi, a neighboring community.
A student, whose school bag was strapped to his back as he was leaving the campus, said: “When I heard the second explosion, I lost balance. Immediately, I took my identity card and packed all my credentials and left the campus through Gate 5. We all thought Boko Haram was on the campus.”
A worshipper in the mosque who was interviewed by reporters said : “It was an emotional moment for us as we said prayers for him. We survived it but he did not. May his soul rest in peace.”
