by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, has debunked rumours making rounds that UNIJOS has been closed, following the Angwan Rukuba attack. He, therefore, called on those, who sent buses to convey their students, to equally make arrangements to return students back for their academic activities to continue.
He disclosed that management, in collaboration with the security agencies, assured all students that would be staying back of their safety.
Prof. Ishaya disclosed this, while briefing Journalists on the March 29th, 2026, on Angwan Rukuba attacks and the consequent effects on the academic activities of the University of Jos.
He disclosed that, “There are many, many students, who stayed back on campus and off-campus, and none of our staffs on campus were evacuated. Since the beginning of the attacks, no single breach of the peace was recorded on any of our campuses.”
Prof. Tanko Ishaya further explained that, they lost two (2) of their students and one staff had various degrees of injuries; they are: Abel Joro Gershon, a 300-level building student, who was shot on his stomach and was at JUTH intensive care unit (ICU) and, unfortunately, he died on Sunday, 5th of April, 2026, and was buried on April 8th, 2026.
He revealed the second student as: Ishaya Patrick, a 300-level Geography and Planning student, who was injured on his leg and is currently on admission, receiving treatment at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
Another student, Duguryil Ufialas Daniel, a staff of the Directorate of Student Affairs, was shot on his thigh. He is also currently receiving medical care.
According to him, “On the 1st April 2026, through fresh violence along Bauchi Road, Adyomo Oluwofemi Temitope, a 500-level Quantity Survey student of the University, left the campus alone and found himself in a violence area of Bauchi Road where he was shot and macheted to death by some hoodlums.
“Also, Lonji Malshap Wumnokol, a 300-level of Geology student, left the campus alone and found himself in a violence area of Bauchi Road. He was equally attacked by some hoodlums and was critically injured, on Wednesday 1st April 2026. He was rushed to OLA Hospital where he was stabilized and, thereafter, moved to JUTH where he is currently on at admission.”
He said a total of 5 members of the University were affected: 4 students and 1 staff, out of which two died.
The Vice Chancellor pointed out that, normal activities has resumed after break on Tuesday, 7th April 2026, while examinations will continue on Monday, 13th April 2026.
He assured students and parents that security has been beefed-up on the campus, along the roads leading to the University and the entire city.
“As far as campus security is concerned, we continuously review and update our plans covering immediate, medium-term, and long-term strategies,” he stated.
“In the long term, our goal is to ensure a fully-secured campus. By this, I mean a campus with a defined perimeter and comprehensive protection physical, operational, and digital.
“We are confident that with the deployment of appropriate technology, alongside strengthened physical security measures, we will achieve this objective.”
According to him, “The question raised about calls to relocate the University: institutions are not built overnight. It has taken this University over 50 years to reach its current level of development.
He stressed that, “The infrastructure we have today required significant time and resources to establish. Even, if relocation were to be considered, it would demand enormous investment and many years to rebuild what already exists. Moreover, a university does not exist in isolation; it is part of a broader community,” he stated.
“Wherever a university is situated, surrounding communities will naturally develop around it. What is, therefore, most important is to strengthen collaboration, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence with host communities,” he said.
“I am, pleased, to say that we have been actively building strong relationships with our immediate communities. On record, since the current administration came on board, there has been no incident of any student being attacked within the immediate host communities.
“Community leaders have consistently assured us of their support, and we have seen evidence of this commitment. In times of tension, communities have taken steps to protect students and ensure their safety.
“It is also important to emphasize that the University contributes significantly to the development of its host communities socially, economically, and in other critical areas. Increasingly, these communities recognize and value the presence of the University.
“Also on April 1, I personally visited several community leaders to engage them directly, seek their support, and interact with local youth. These engagements are part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation,” he noted.
The VC clarified that, “The unfortunate incidents involving students did not occur within the immediate University community. The affected students had left campus and were caught (off guard) in areas farther away, particularly along Bauchi Road, which experienced heightened unrest.
“Available information indicates that the students had gone out for routine personal activities, such as repairing a phone or visiting the bank, when they were caught in the violence.
“On the issue of the circulating AI-generated content, I would like to make a clear clarification. I am not an AI expert, but it is evident that artificial intelligence has been used to create misleading content about the University of Jos.
“A video currently making the rounds on social media falsely depicts a university gate in a chaotic setting, with heavy traffic and disorder. Let me state unequivocally: that is not the gate of the University of Jos.
“For those, who pay close attention to detail, you will notice that even the logo shown in the video does not belong to the University of Jos; none of our gates resemble the structure portrayed in that footage.
“This appears to be a deliberate attempt by certain individuals to manipulate information and create unnecessary fear and panic, both within the University community and among the general public,” the VC stated.