In this report, Adejayan Gbenga critically carried out an indepth investigation on the incessant attacks, rape incidences in the past years at the College of Health Technology in Foreign Links Campus, a private college of education in Ile-Ife, Osun State. (Rape incidences are underreported and authorities have imbribed a “carefree attitude” on the menace bedeviling the campus in the past years – According to sources).

This report is not meant to defame any character, institution rather to alert and charge involved authorities on its duties and responsibilities to prevent recurrence of the instance.

BACKGROUND

According to Wikipedia, rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person’s consent.

This act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability or is below the legal age of consent.

The rate at which rape is raging in the society is quite alarming and the most perturbing part of it is the fact that people do not get raped in confined places these days but they get raped right inside their domicile even under the watch of those who are supposed to protect them.

For a student, it is believed that school hostels are relatively secure under the eye of authorities, compared to renting an apartment off campus, but sadly as it may be, the students of Foreign Links campus, Ile Ife, Osun state are not enjoying this benefit, they have not only witnessed terrifying incidences but are also perpetually having their hearts in their mouths owing to the incessant attacks by unidentified persons suspected to be robbers who barge into the college hostels, cart away the students’ belongings and frequently rape the female students.

The College of Health Technology in Foreign Links Campus, is a private college of education in Ile-Ife, Osun State owned by a popular politician, Dr Fola Akinosun.

Students of the college confided that, there is always incident of gang rape every year in the college hostel by unidentified persons and every effort by the students to champion a protest against the incessant sexual assaults in the college hostel, the management of the school renders futile.

Students recounted that in the recent case of attack on the college hostel around April 2023, the assailants at first approached the male hostel, beat occupants up, seized their phones, even as call for safety at the moment do not matter as security officials in the college do shy away from their duties and do not heed to students calls in time of attacks.

After beating, collecting the boys phones the assailants locked them up and approached the female hostel to rape them.

Aside that the cases of attack and rape that happen nearly every year in the college that are underreported and also carpeted by the management, the students have regularly complain about the ‘porous security system’ in the college.

UNDERREPORTED RAPE CASES AND INACTION

What is most baffling, however, is why the management of the college look unconcern? resist protest against sexual assaults which is a capital crime? remain silent over the rape cases which happen every year? and yet do little or nothing to address the menace reoccurrence?

One begin to wonder, in the past years of the ugly occurrence why the cases are been covered up and not been widely reported.

It also ponders the mind, the level of threat, blackmail, that may have sealed the mouth of the victims from exposing the incident to the public.

CONFIRMATION FROM COLLEGE SOURCE

An administrative source in the college confirmed the story, however claimed the management have never been silent on the cases.

According to the source “…the story is true, there have been incessant attack and rape in the college in the past years, though once happened the management always investigate the incident.”

Asked why the cases are underreported “cases may at times not be thoroughly investigated to a logical point but they are always investigated to my knowledge… I’m not in best position to talk on this please…”

TRACED VICTIMS

In the course of the investigation, this reporter who spent a night at Moro was able to trace two victims of rape in the college (not recent).

The two who looked feared and had a strong apathy for interview, confirmed that they were raped in one of the incidences, however refused to give concrete details to steer clear of possible witch-hunt and threats.

According to A “Please I don’t want to talk on this, yes I was raped then, but it been long so let’s forget it”

According to B, asked about the steps taken by the management said “ Step ke? Dem no dey do anything jare, that college ehn, abegi I no like to dey remember the incident in that School, Nursing students dey suffer well well for that school… Just free me”

MANAGEMENT’s REFUSAL TO REACT

When contacted for comment, the Provost of the college, Dr. Nsikak Akpan declined to speak on the matter, however said he preferred to have the conversation by text.

Meanwhile, all messages put through to the Provost proved abortive as he refused to address them.

STUDENTS’ ACCOUNT

A student of the school who spoke under the condition of anonymity told this reporter that “ the security of the students ought to be the outmost priority of the college, but it obvious been a private, the management is just selfish and only after the image of the college, unidentified persons enter our hostel and rape the female students, especially the nursing students, I can recall like 6 to 7 times, we always think the management will take this up but unfortunately the story will after a week die down”.

A female student of the college said “…apart that they rape female student, the assailants do rob us, cart away our phones and money, especially those using iPhones.

“They injured those who proved “resistance” with them, cut off their fingers or ears.

“At a point we are like why are the parents of the victims every year not taking the matter up as well.

“The lives of the students are endangered if it continue every year like this in the college, we are crying out loud about this because it’s dangerous for management of a College to remain silent on incessant rape and not doing anything concerning it, the police must probe the incessant attack and rape that occur every year in our school”.