Tension flared in Lapai, Niger State, on Monday after a student of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) was stabbed to death during an armed robbery at a student lodge. The victim, identified as Abdulwahab Abubakar, a 300-level student from the Department of Chemistry Education, was reportedly attacked by armed robbers around 3:00 a.m. at his off-campus residence in the Ndakikpabu area.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers stabbed Abdulwahab in the neck. Though residents quickly raised an alarm, prompting a police response, the assailants fled the scene before security operatives arrived. The student was rushed to Lapai General Hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival.
In reaction to the incident, angry students took to the streets in protest, blocking the Agaie–Lapai highway and accusing the university management and security agencies of failing to protect them. The protest escalated as students vandalized the university’s security office and reportedly stormed the Emir of Lapai’s palace to express their grievances. Police later intervened to restore calm.
Some students claimed that this was not an isolated case. Mohammed Hassan, one of the protesters, alleged that a similar robbery had occurred the previous week, during which female students were assaulted as robbers moved from lodge to lodge, armed with pistols and other weapons. Another student, who wished to remain anonymous, said robberies have been ongoing for over four months without significant action from authorities. Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said:
“At about 2:30 a.m. on June 23, 2025, hoodlums attacked a student lodge at Ndakitabu area. Police operatives from the Lapai Division responded immediately, but the suspects had escaped before their arrival.
“Unfortunately, a student named Jafar was found stabbed in the neck. He was rushed to the General Hospital in Lapai but was later confirmed dead.
“In response, some students barricaded the Agaie–Lapai road in protest. The command has since deployed tactical teams to restore order and commence a thorough investigation. The Commissioner of Police has vowed to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice.”
As of the time of filing this report, the management of IBB University had not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
