UniJos Students Give Authorities 72-Hour Ultimatum to Tackle Insecurity

By Asile Abel, Jos

Final-year Building Engineering students of the University of Jos have given the institution’s management and the Plateau State Government a 72-hour ultimatum to take concrete steps toward addressing the growing security challenges affecting students and members of the university community.

The students, led by Mr. Okono Emmanuel and Mr. Ocha Yangchulo, made their demands on Monday during a peaceful procession at the entrance of the University of Jos permanent site in Jos.

They expressed concern over the worsening security situation around the institution, insisting that students and other members of the university community are no longer safe.

The procession formed part of activities marking the mourning of their late colleague, Oluwafemi, a 500-level Building Engineering student who was allegedly murdered by hoodlums on April 1, 2026, along a road near the university.

Presenting their demands, the students called for the immediate installation of solar-powered CCTV cameras, solar-powered streetlights, and the establishment of a permanent rapid security response unit strategically positioned at key junctions along high-risk roads surrounding the university.

“This brings us to our demands. We are demanding the installation of solar-powered CCTV cameras, solar-powered streetlights, and the establishment of a permanent rapid security response unit strategically positioned at key junctions along these high-risk roads surrounding the university. The CCTV cameras should cover all vulnerable areas, while the solar-powered streetlights should adequately illuminate these roads,” the students stated.

They described their demands as realistic, affordable, and achievable, stressing that the urgency of the security situation leaves no room for delays.

“Therefore, we are giving the Vice-Chancellor and the Plateau State Government 72 hours to respond,” they added.

The students emphasized that they would no longer accept verbal assurances from authorities.

“We want to see active installation work and concrete security improvements, not mere administrative assurances. For years, students and citizens have been given promises by the university administration and government officials, yet students and residents continue to lose their lives,” they said.

The students further lamented that the absence of CCTV surveillance contributed to the inability of security agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for Oluwafemi’s death.

“The most painful part of Oluwafemi’s death is that those responsible have gotten away with it because there were no CCTV cameras in the area to capture the perpetrators while they committed the crime. No footage means no identification, and without identification, there is no case,” they noted.

They called on the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya, to ensure the immediate installation of CCTV cameras within and around the institution. They also urged the university management to collaborate with the Plateau State Government to strengthen security measures and monitor movements around the campuses.

According to the students, persistent attacks and killings involving students and staff have led some parents to regard the University of Jos as an unsafe institution for their children.

They also expressed concerns for newly admitted students, particularly 100-level students, noting that many of the routes leading to the university’s two campuses remain unsafe.

The students warned that they would seek further action if their demands were not met within the stipulated period.

“We are already mobilizing public support. A petition concerning this issue has been circulating for over a month and has already gathered more than 1,000 signatures. This shows that students are not the only people awaiting a response,” they said.