Saturday, August 8, 2026

One killed, scores injured as JTF opens fire on protesting students in Plateau

Some students said they’ve wasted three extra years due to incessant strikes in the polytechnic.

• September 20, 2021

Protests against a prolonged strike by students of the Plateau State Polytechnic at the Jos campus turned bloody as operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) opened live rounds on the students, killing one and injuring scores on Monday.

The students were shelled by soldiers seeking to forcefully disperse the gathering.

Student Union Government President, Moses Williams Voh, who confirmed this incident to Peoples Gazette on Monday, said one student was killed, while scores of unspecified number of students were badly injured.

“Right now we are at the hospital taking statistics of students injured. One student is already dead and we have a lot of casualties.

“We are trying to gather the number of injured students today,” Mr Voh said in a telephone call with The Gazette.

He added, “The Joint military task force was responsible for this. I even went to tell them to allow us to address the students but they kept beating students and as I speak they are still around.”

The SUG president further explained that students were protesting a prolonged strike that has delayed academic activities for close to three years.

“As it is, what really happened today was that we have our final year exam today. Students have been held by prolonged strikes and COVID-19 pandemic. Others have stayed for about three years now in the polytechnic.

“We are supposed to start our final year exam today only to discover that there is a strike declared by the Joint Union of the Academic Staff of about seven high institutions in Plateau State. It is as a result that the student’s started the protest,” Mr Voh said.

Another student, Junah Celestina Gambo, said “there was a lot of shooting this morning. They injured students to the extent that soldiers entered the school and were still shooting.

“A student of the marketing department was shot dead. Some of them were injured and were taken to school clinics,” she added.

Police spokesperson for Plateau State Command, Gabriel Ogaba, could not be reached immediately for comments on the incident.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Governor Muhammad Yahaya

States

Gombe unveils youth policy to improve livelihoods, productivity 

Mr Hamman said the policy emerged from extensive consultations with key stakeholders and development partners.

Amirah Salihu

States

“Terrorists killed my brothers,” says Woro rescued victim as Gov. Abdulrasaq receives hostages

Ms Salihu’s narration came as Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq recieved all the 163 hostages.

Armed policemen

States

Four suspects nabbed in Niger over alleged theft of electric cables, motorcycle

The command’s spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, noted that the suspects were arrested on Monday at about 6 p.m.

United Nations logo and health workers fighting Ebola in DR Congo.

Heading 2

Ebola killed 300 children in DR Congo, says UN

The advisory group met for a third time on July 31 to review new data on Ervebo.

Ireland deports six Nigerians guilty of 35 criminal charges

Diaspora

Ireland deports six Nigerians guilty of 35 criminal charges 

The Irish government also noted that more deportation flights were scheduled to be carried out throughout the remainder of the year.