Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
Plateau State may have returned to the line of attacks and other criminal activities as barely two weeks after a first class traditional ruler was gruesomely murdered in the state, an attempt has been made on the lives of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Sabastian Seddi Maimako and members of his family by unknown gunmen.
Though the vice-chancellor was lucky to have travelled at the time of the attack, a security guard, Mr. Owes Jubrin, was shot dead and many others severely injured.
Confirming the attack in a statement, Principal Assistant Registrar, (Information and Publications) of the university, Mr. Abdullahi Abdullahi, said: “On the night of July 27, 2016 around 8.30p.m., some unknown assailants with unknown motives arrived the personal residence of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Seddi Sebastian Maimako, at Eto Baba Road, Angwan Rukuba, Jos, and opened fire at the entrance of the residence.
“In the process, one internal security personnel of the university by name Owes Jibrin, an Assistant Patrol Supervisor with the Security Division was killed. Another security guard on duty at the residence, Mr. Adamu Salihu, a Police Corporal attached to the Nasarawa Gwom Police Station, was also critically injured. Other security guards on duty escaped unhurt and were able to raise alarm before the assailants fled the scene of the incident.”
The statement added that the VC was away from Jos on an official assignment and no member of his immediate family was hurt as a result of the incident.
Appealing to security operatives to spare no effort in unravelling the identity of the perpetrators, the university said a delegation has been sent to condole with the deceased family.
Also confirming the attack, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Terna Tyopev, however claimed that the attack was not targeted at the VC’s residence.
He said the criminals were just operating at random in the area when the security guards at the VC’s residence engaged them.
He also confirmed that Salihu was shot “on his right leg, and his service riffle carted away by the criminals,” adding that no arrest was been made.
THISDAY gathered that the VC’s family had been evacuated from the residence to safety.
Meanwhile, a group known as the Movement for the Advancement and Protection of Unijos (MAAPU) has called on security operatives to speedily investigate and fish out the culprits behind the attack.
Leader of the group, Mr. Daniel Tanko, said the group was worried that the attack came shortly after a first class monarch was recently murdered in the state, adding that “we are appealing to security operatives to live up to their responsibility in protecting lives and properties of citizens of the state.”
