Hundreds of students of the Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, on Monday staged a peaceful protest following an overnight attack on one of the female hostels located outside the institution’s premises.

The hoodlums allegedly raped a female student during the attack and inflicted injuries on her, including cutting one of her fingers.

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Monday when the attackers invaded the hostel and dispossessed students of their phones and other valuables.

The victim was subsequently taken to GSCN Hospital in the Mile 6 area of Jalingo for treatment, according to sources.

A students’ union official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said the latest incident was the second attack on the students’ hostels within two weeks.

He said the attackers had raided some hostels the previous week and stole phones and other valuables belonging to students.

“Yesterday night, the hoodlums came in their numbers and attacked one of the female students’ hostels. They raped one of the students and also carted away phones belonging to the students and other valuables.”

“They also cut one of the fingers of the student after raping her. She is now on admission at a private hospital located at Mile 6 area in Jalingo,” he said.

According to him, students had complained to the school authorities following the first attack, after which the Commissioner for Tertiary Education visited the college and promised improved security.

“When the first attack happened last week, we complained to the school authorities and the Commissioner of Tertiary Education visited the college and promised that security measures would be put in place in all the hostels, but nothing was done,” he said.

The students subsequently staged a protest at the college gate on Monday, demanding urgent intervention by the Taraba State Government and security agencies to protect them from further attacks.

The students also raised concerns over the continued use of hostels located outside the college premises despite the completion of hostel facilities within the institution.

The students’ union official said the college has seven hostels — one for male students and six for females — but that students were still accommodated outside the premises.

“We have seven hostels, one for male and six for female, but students are all located outside the premises of the college and there is no adequate security, which exposed us, the students, to danger,” he said.

The attack comes days after the Taraba State Ministry of Tertiary Education visited the College of Nursing Sciences following a reported robbery attack on students’ hostels.

The ministry said armed men had invaded the hostels, stolen mobile phones and assaulted students. It said 33 phones were reportedly stolen, while some students sustained injuries. Three phones and a cutlass were recovered at the scene, according to the ministry’s report.

The ministry subsequently recommended urgent security measures around the hostels, intensified investigation and the relocation of students to safer accommodation. It also called for the completion and commissioning of the college’s new hostels.

The Provost of the college, Dr Dorcas Dugule, when contacted, confirmed that she was handling the matter but declined to comment immediately.

“I am on top of the issue. I will not speak; please give me time,” she said, report mentioned.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has gone to court to challenge a N200 million fee the Abia State Government reportedly imposes on presidential candidates who want to display campaign materials in the state.

Makinde and the APM argue that the fee, which is twenty times what the Electoral Act 2026 allows a candidate to spend on billboards in any single state, is a backdoor bid to shut out non-incumbent candidates from public view and make compliance with campaign spending limits impossible.

In suit HC/214/2026 filed at the Abia State High Court, they are challenging Governor Alex Otti, the state Attorney General, the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ASAA) and the state House of Assembly. Their lawyer is Musibau Adetunbi (SAN).

The plaintiffs say Section 92 of the Electoral Act 2026 caps total spending for a presidential campaign at N10 billion nationwide. They argue that if every state and the FCT charged a similar fee, billboard charges alone would exceed 80 per cent of that limit.

They said they learnt of the fee while preparing to begin their nationwide campaign.

The plaintiffs raised six questions for determination and are asking for eight reliefs. Key among them:

An order setting aside ASAA’s regulations on political campaigns, including the N200m fee or any other amount.

An injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from enforcing the fee and from “removing, defacing, destroying and obstructing” their campaign billboards and outdoor advertisements in Abia.

A declaration that the N200m schedule is inconsistent with federal law, unconstitutional, null and void ab initio, under Item F, Section 15(a) and (f) of the Third Schedule and Sections 1(3) and 4(5) of the Constitution, and Sections 92 and 99 of the Electoral Act 2026.

A declaration that the fee breaches Section 99(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which bars the use of state apparatus or regulatory bodies to advantage or disadvantage any party or candidate, and undermines the principle of a level playing field.

INEC’s exclusive powers: The plaintiffs contend that under the Constitution and Section 9(1) of the Electoral Act, INEC alone has the power to make rules and regulations on campaigns for the purpose of elections.

State apparatus: They say that by fixing an exorbitant fee, the defendants are using ASAA to “constructively exclude” non-incumbent candidates from public visibility, contrary to Section 99(2).

Right to campaign: Section 99 guarantees candidates an unhindered right to campaign publicly once the statutory period opens, they argue, and the fee violates it.

Limits of state power: They acknowledged that outdoor signage falls under the Residual List and is a state matter, but insisted that states cannot exercise that power in a prohibitive or discriminatory manner that frustrates or overrides an Act of the National Assembly on campaigns.

Supremacy of federal law: Under Sections 1(3) and 4(5) of the Constitution, any state law, directive or regulation inconsistent with the Electoral Act is void to the extent of that inconsistency, they said.

The plaintiffs warned that unless the court intervenes swiftly, Makinde will suffer irreparable harm to his constitutional right to seek public office, and the principle of a level playing field will be badly compromised.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not be physically present at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York, United States.

The development follows an announcement by the Presidency that the President would return to Nigeria after his three-week vacation in Europe.

Stanley Nkwocha, spokesman to Vice President Kashim Shettima, announced the development in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, Tinubu had directed the Vice President to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA.

Tinubu’s absence was also confirmed after a provisional list of speakers showed that Shettima would represent Nigeria at the high-level General Debate.

Tinubu had been listed as the 10th speaker during the morning session on the second day of the high-level General Debate scheduled for Wednesday, September 23.

The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly began on September 8, 2026, while the high-level week is scheduled to take place from September 22 to 29 in New York City.