There was tension among Bauchi residents, especially students of the Federal Polytechnic in Gwalameji area of Bauchi yesterday, following rumours that insurgents were planning to attack students in the state.
The rumour was heightened with the heavy presence of armed mobile policemen in Gwalameji, Yelwa and other areas of the state capital.
Most students of the polytechnic, who stayed back believing that the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP) would call off its strike, were seen packing out their belongings and running out of their rooms in the Gwalameji area for fear of being attacked.
Some of the students, who spoke with our reporter on condition of anonymity, said they had to evacuate their rooms for fear that the recent brutal killing of students of College of Agriculture, Gujba in Yobe State by insurgents may befall them.
One of the students said the rumour that the Boko Haram sect would attack students in Gwalameji area started on Tuesday but, “yesterday, the rumour was so strong that I had to run and sleep in a friend’s house in Rafin Zurfi, which is considered safer.”
But the Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic, Mohammed Rabiu Wada, said the rumour was a ploy by some criminals to rob some students.
“There was a false alarm raised by some criminals and as soon as the students ran away from their rooms, the criminals broke in and robbed the students, carting away their valuables,” Rabiu said, adding that there was no cause for alarm.
Meanwhile, there was traffic gridlock along the Yelwa –Wunti area as early as 7 am yesterday as a detachment of armed mobile policemen carried out checks on motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians alike .
“I have never seen this large number of policemen in Bauchi at the same time in a long time,” a civil servant taking his children to school observed, saying the stern looking policemen were at alert and all of them had their hands on their trigger as they searched boots of cars.
There was also heavy presence of policemen in the Landmark Plaza area along Ahmadu Bello way even as armoured tanks were seen patrolling the city with one of the tanks stationed near the Ramat House, the seat of power in the state.
When contacted, Bauchi State Commissioner of Police explained that the heavy presence of policemen was to ensure safety of lives and property of the citizens in view of Sallah festivity that was approaching.
