500L ATBU student stabbed to death while protecting girlfriend

Police operatives in Bauchi State have disclosed that the 500-level Geology student of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, (ATBU), who was stabbed and later died in the hospital, was trying to retrieve his girlfriend’s handbag from some criminals when the incident occurred.

Reports on the campus have stated that the final year Geology student, Joseph Agabaidu, was stabbed by the criminals, while trying to steal his mobile phone.

Agabaidu, who hails from Ankpa Local Government Area (LGA), of Kogi State, but is based in Benue State, was said to be the eldest among four children of his family.

The student was reportedly returning to his lodge situated around the Yelwan Tudu market in the Yelwa area, a suburb of the Bauchi metropolis, at about 7.00 pm on Saturday, when he was attacked and was rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.

He, however, could not survive the severe injuries from the knife wound.

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The incident had sparked a protest among students of the school who came out in their numbers at the Yelwa Campus to express their outrage at the inadequate security in and around the campus and also called for the attention of the management and the government.

Sequel to the protest, management in a statement signed by the Deputy Registrar Academic, Fatima Abdullahi, had closed down the school, and asked the students to vacate immediately as the protest carried out by “miscreants” disrupted the peace on the campus.

Meanwhile, a statement signed by the Bauchi State Police Comand’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, noted that the deceased was with his girlfriend when the criminals whose identity and number are still unknown snatched her handbag containing her mobile phone.

He said: “Commissioner of Police Bauchi State Command, CP Auwal Mohammed received in the audience the leadership of two student bodies (NUBAS and SUG ) in his office at the State Command Headquarters.

“Their visits were prompted by the recent incident which occurred on 2nd December 2023 where some unknown persons, numbers not ascertained, snatched a handbag containing a mobile phone belonging to a lady, one Philomena Ahobee (28), a student of Abubakar Tatari Polytechnic, Bauchi.

“As a result of which her boyfriend, Agbaidu Joseph, (28) of Anguwan Ngas who is a student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, tried to help her to retrieve the handbag containing the phone. The assailant(s) stabbed him on the left side of his chest with a sharp knife.

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“The victim was rushed to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi for treatment but he was certified dead while on admission by a medical doctor.”

Wakil noted that the student’s union were against the “violent protest by some erring students of the university” and applauded the CP for his swift response and for nipping it in the bud with the “violent protesters.”

He added that the student leaders presented a letter of request to the Commissioner of Police soliciting more security presence around their communities and “in his response, the Commissioner of Police began by observing a minute of silence in honor of the deceased.”

“The Commissioner of Police reiterated that the basic obligation of the police is to protect the lives and properties of the citizens, excessive use of force to quench violence is not the only last available option to a police officer in matters of conflict and crisis resolution.

“He said that in the process of policing society, certain ‘unavoidable problems’ come to the fore, saying that even at such, there is a need for utmost demonstration of professionalism.

“Right cannot be fought through violence but by way of reconciliation,” he noted.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Muhammed, assured that efforts are being intensified to apprehend the culprit(s) that perpetrated the inhumane dastardly act on the deceased and further assured that justice will be served unfailingly,” he concluded.