A 300-level building student at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Plateau state, Abel Gershon, who was injured in the recent Angwan Rukuba attack, has died.
Suspected bandits struck a popular bar in the community in Jos north LGA, on March 29, shooting sporadically, with at least 28 people confirmed dead and several left injured afterwards.
The attack sparked outrage on social media, prompting the state government to impose a 48-hour curfew in the affected local government.
Joyce Lohya Ramnap, the information commissioner, said Caleb Mutfwang, governor of the state, both condemned the attack, describing it as “barbaric and unprovoked”.
In a statement last Tuesday, Emmanuel Madugu, UNIJOS deputy registrar, information and public relations, had identified Gershon among the two students of the university that survived the attack.
“It has been confirmed that 2 students and one Staff of the University of Jos are among survivors of the Angwan Rukuba massacre which occurred on Sunday 29th March 2026,” the statement reads.
Madugu gave the name of the other student as Patrick Ishaya, 300 level (geography and planning), and while the staffer was named as Duguryil Ufialas Daniel, a hall officer at the university’s post-graduate hostel.
He said Tanko Ishaya, the university vice-chancellor, visited the survivors at the UNIJOS teaching hospital, to ascertain the level of their injuries, adding that they were all responding to treatments.
But in a post on X on Monday, Unijos Noisemaker, a blogger known for reporting developments within the university, announced Gershon’s death, sharing a video that showed him lying on a hospital bed, connected to medical equipment, with his nose covered by what appeared to be a breathing aid.
“We mourn the loss of another Jossite. Abel Joro Gershon, a 300 level student of the Building Department at UniJos and a victim of the Anguwa Rukuba attack, has sadly passed on after a long battle for his life at JUTH ICU,” the post reads.
Madugu confirmed the development, saying Gershon died on Sunday night at the hospital.
“Yes, the student died last night. I can confirm that to you officially,” he said.
“As soon as I get to the campus, I would issue a statement on it, so we can make necessary plans to reach his family.”
Younglan Tongpus, UNIJOS student union president, also said plans are underway to inform the deceased’s family for burial plans.
“Yes, it is true. He died on Easter Sunday,” the student leader told TheCable.
“He was one of the victims of last Sunday’s attack at Angwan Rukuba and had been in the ICU at the UNIJOS teaching hospital until his death. Joro was a 300-level building student. He lived in Rukuba, about 2km from the university.
“The university’s dean of student affairs is expected to contact his family today, after which burial arrangements will be known.”
Tongpus added that another victim of the attack, who had also been in the ICU, also died on Sunday.
He described the victim as an elderly man, but did not give further details, while the management of the teaching hospital could not be reached immediately for comments.
Paul Zakka, the student adviser at the building department of the university, also confirmed the development in a post made on his verified X page on Monday.
Gershon’s death comes days after Adeyemo Temitope, a 500-level quantity surveying student of the university, was found dead at the hospital.
Adeyemo’s body was reportedly deposited at the hospital’s mortuary on Wednesday by local security operatives, who said he had been attacked by yet-to-be-identified persons near the campus.
Following the heightened tension trailing the suspected bandit attack, the university management ordered the immediate evacuation of students from hostels on Wednesday.
The university had earlier suspended all examinations scheduled for the week, rescheduling them until after the Easter celebration due to rising security concerns in the state.
News4 years ago
Privacy5 years ago
News5 years ago
News5 years ago
Opinion5 years ago
News5 years ago
Sports4 years ago