By Funso Alarape
Female students of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State, occupying Block E of the female hostel, have alleged being locked out of the hostel by the university’s dean overnight.
They expressed dismay over the management’s action, stating that this occurred “despite the weather condition and possible security threat.”
Also, the affected female students complained that they were being given a private account to pay N3,000 each as a penalty before the hostel would be opened to them again.
Some of the students who spoke to the press but begged for anonymity disclosed that the students of the affected block allegedly violated some rules when they poured water in a restricted place in the hostel, a development for which they were all forced out of the hostel.
They also stated that the block was locked on the instruction of the Dean of Students Affairs, while they were asked to pay the penalty.
Some of the female students said, “there is an instruction that water should not be poured in the walkway, which students of a particular block violated.
“And all those in the block were forced to sleep outside.”
According to a female student; “they have been doing this, and when the students violated the regulation, they were forced to pay N3,000 as a punitive measure.
“We don’t know who we are paying the money to, but I doubt if it is the account of the school.”
Furthermore, it was rumored that one of the affected students collapsed due to the cold and dry weather outside, although that had not yet been confirmed.
However, while commenting on the matter, the Dean of Students Affairs, Professor Abdulqadir Muhammad Dambazau, said the University authorities dismissed the allegations, adding that the hostels were renovated and decongested, and new rules were put in place for those who occupied the rooms.
According to him, “the female students were fond of defecating in the open space within the hostel, while others shower in the open.”
Prof. Dambazau stated further that “these behaviors not only pose a risk to health and hygiene but also the moral standards of occupying a space in the school hostel.”
On the issue of penalty fees forced on the students, he confirmed that it was true that there was a fine for violating the rules of occupying a bed space in the school hostel but added that it affected 10 of the 60 occupants of the hostel.
“Whosoever violates such rules would be warned twice, and if she persists, she would be forced to pay N3,000 as a penalty.
“But they were directed to pay N3,000 not to a private account but to the account to which they paid hostel fees,” he said.
On the issue of a student collapsing as a result of the closure of the hostel, he said this was not true.
“Neither the university authority nor the Students’ Union Government is aware of this.
“Contrary to the allegation that the money is paid to the private account, the money is paid into the account of the Students’ Affairs.
“Some of these rules include barring the students from cooking inside the congested rooms with gas cookers; this is to avoid accidents.
“We have also changed the former system of reserving rooms for those who have connections. Now, everyone is entitled and can register and make payments online and be allocated,” he added.
He explained further that the school was taking shape with the renovations and construction of facilities that have changed the former ways to better standards.
“The total number of students in the school is about 24,000, while the hostels can only accommodate 5,400 with the available facility.
“This is about a quarter of all the students, while the remaining are living off-campus,” he said.
