A brutal bandit attack on off-campus student lodges near the Federal University of Lafia has left the community reeling, as witnesses claim more than 30 female students were raped during the coordinated assault, with several others injured.
For weeks, students had been enduring a wave of insecurity, but on July 26, the violence reached a terrifying peak. According to eyewitnesses, a convoy of armed men invaded the student-dominated settlements of Akunza, Gandu, and Burkan Kwato—makeshift neighborhoods where thousands of students reside due to the university’s lack of hostel accommodation.
The attackers, moving in large numbers and vehicles, swept through the communities in a calculated operation. Survivors recounted how female students were dragged from their rooms and assaulted, while male students who resisted were violently attacked with machetes.
“In a single night, over 30 girls were raped,” a witness told Daily Independent, comparing the attack to Nigeria’s infamous Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirl kidnappings. The assault, many believe, is a chilling reflection of the country’s worsening security collapse and the impunity with which armed groups operate.
Despite the scale of the violence, there has been an eerie silence from both government officials and mainstream media. Students and residents accuse authorities of deliberately suppressing news of the incident.
“It’s painful that such a horrifying attack could happen, and yet there’s no outrage, no coverage. It feels like the lives of students here simply don’t matter,” said a student leader who spoke under anonymity.
Since its inception in 2011, the Federal University of Lafia has struggled with infrastructural deficits. The shortage of safe housing has forced many students into nearby communities lacking basic security, making them easy targets for criminal gangs.
The attack has reignited calls for immediate security intervention and a national inquiry. Civil society groups are demanding accountability, with many describing the incident as “Lafia’s own Chibok tragedy.”
However, Nasarawa State Police have disputed the reports of mass rape. Police Public Relations Officer Ramhan Nansel acknowledged that an attack occurred but insisted it was a robbery incident, not a sexual assault.
“Armed robbers attacked on July 31, not July 26, and during that robbery, they stole a lady’s bag and injured a male student trying to flee,” Nansel revealed. He further dismissed the possibility of 30 students being raped under the watch of security forces stationed in Lafia. “That report is sensationalized and misleading,” he said.
Nevertheless, students and human rights advocates remain unconvinced, insisting that the incident must not be swept under the rug. Calls are growing for an independent investigation to uncover the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice.