The reported attack on female students of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, is more than a disturbing incident. It raises fundamental questions about how we protect students while they pursue their education.
On September 21, students staged a peaceful protest following an overnight attack on a female hostel located outside the college premises. Reports indicate that suspected attackers stole phones and other valuables from students. A female student was also allegedly sexually assaulted and seriously injured and was reportedly taken to a hospital in the Mile 6 area of Jalingo for treatment. The Taraba State Police Command confirmed that an attack and burglary had occurred but said the rape allegation had not been confirmed at the time of reporting.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are particularly concerning because students reportedly said it was the second reported attack on their accommodation within two weeks.
According to reports, students had raised concerns following an earlier attack, after which the Commissioner for Tertiary Education visited the college and reportedly promised improved security measures.
Days earlier, the Taraba State Ministry of Tertiary Education had visited the college following a robbery attack reported on September 17. The ministry said 33 mobile phones were stolen across two hostels, several students were injured, and three phones and a cutlass were recovered.
These reports point to a problem that cannot be reduced to individual student responsibility.
Students should not bear the blame for unsafe accommodation.
Students cannot be expected to solve inadequate security infrastructure on their own. They cannot provide the patrols, lighting, surveillance, emergency response systems, or institutional safeguards required to keep accommodation secure.
When students repeatedly raise concerns about their safety, those concerns deserve timely and effective action.
A university or college student's right to safety does not disappear after lectures end.
Whether a student lives inside or outside campus, institutions and relevant authorities have a responsibility to take reasonable measures to protect students within the environments connected to their education.
Student safety should therefore be treated as essential infrastructure, not charity.
That means secure accommodation.
It means adequate lighting and security patrols.
It means functioning emergency response systems.
It means investigating reported threats.
It means communicating clearly with students.
And when an incident occurs, it means responding quickly and appropriately.
When sexual violence is alleged, the response cannot stop at treating physical injuries.
Survivors may need confidential medical care, sexual and reproductive health services, trauma-informed support, protection from further harm, and safe mechanisms for reporting and seeking justice.
They should not have to face additional stigma or institutional barriers while trying to recover.
Their dignity must remain central to the response.
Impact Project exists because student wellbeing is connected to whether students can remain healthy, safe, and in school.
Our work focuses on structural challenges affecting students, including food insecurity, poverty, health information, confidential sexual-health support, and access to practical resources.
We believe that students should be able to pursue their education without having to navigate preventable barriers alone.
The events in Jalingo remind us why this work matters.
We stand with the students of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences and with every student who has been forced to study in an environment where safety cannot be taken for granted.
Student safety is essential infrastructure.
Institutions, governments, and security agencies must work together to secure student accommodation, respond to reported threats, investigate attacks, and ensure survivors receive appropriate care without further harm.
Systemic gaps can be addressed.
Students deserve nothing less.
Impact Project will continue to advocate for practical, dignity-centered solutions that help students stay safe, healthy, and able to complete their education.
