….Government Intervenes, Promises to Deploy Security Personnel
Students of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, on Monday staged a protest over alleged rape and attempted robbery at a female hostel outside the institution.
The students, led by the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), alleged that a female student was raped during the incident and demanded immediate relocation to the college’s on-campus hostels, which are yet to be put into use.
They issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government and threatened to march to the Government House if their demand was not met.
Following the protest, a delegation from the Taraba State Ministry of Tertiary Education, led by its Secretary, Solomon Daniel Nathaniel, alongside directors and other senior officials, visited the college to appeal for calm.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Nathaniel appealed to the students to suspend the protest and return to their hostels.
He contacted the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Gebon Timothy Kataps, who outlined measures approved by the government.
According to the resolutions, security personnel would be immediately deployed to the affected hostels to enhance safety, while a formal meeting between the SUG and government representatives was scheduled for September 22, 2026.
The SUG president reportedly accepted the proposals and communicated them to the students, but the protesters refused to disperse despite assurance from the Commissioner of Police that security personnel would be deployed immediately.
The Ministry said its intervention was aimed at restoring calm while working with relevant authorities and the students’ leadership to address the security concerns and find a lasting solution.
