Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, on Monday shut down the institution’s main gates in protest over an overnight attack on their hostels by suspected armed men.
The assailants, who struck on Sunday night, were said to have injured several students and made away with valuables.
The protest, which began peacefully within the campus, later spilled onto the federal highway near the school as suspected hoodlums joined in, blocking the road and disrupting traffic.
Police deployed to the scene fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, prompting some students to hurl stones in retaliation before they were overpowered.
Speaking to journalists, the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Haruna Umar, described the incident as unprecedented in the history of the school.
“This is students showing their grievances to management and authorities,” he said, calling for improved security around the hostels.
