An emerging Islamist terrorist sect, al-wilayat al-Islamiyya Gharb Afriqiyyah, has written a letter to the University of Ibadan threatening to bomb the institution before the October 1 Independence Day celebration over what the group terms “bringing in Western education”.
In the message circulated among some staff of the institution and on social media platforms, the group stated that students and staff were their targets as it described the university as an embarrassment to Nigeria for bringing western education into the country.
The letter reads in part:
“You people are an embarrassment to Nigeria and are the people that brought in western education to Nigeria. You doomed this nation and in turn you all are going to be doomed. Most of you are going to die before Independence Day. You will not spend the Independence Day in peace, you and your students.
“Detonation will start going from tomorrow till Independence Day and there is nothing you can do as we are among you. Even your little searches at the gate won’t do anything. By the time we are through with you, your government will be sorry.”
According to Punch, when the newspaper contacted the director of communication of the university, Olatunji Oladejo said he also received the letter, but insisted that it had not affected the peace of the school.
He dismissed the threat as the handiwork of mischievous individuals who wanted to cause commotion in the school.
“I also got it. Anyone could instigate such thing. Some people could be mischievous. Our international students are having their carnival on the campus and everywhere is peaceful. I attribute it to the handiwork of mischievous individuals and vehemently deny any commotion,” he said.
According to the report, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo state, Adekunle Ajisebutu, stated that the command had received information on the threat to lives and property on the campus and had responded appropriately.
“We have received the information. The state’s commissioner of police, Samuel Adegbuyi, working in concert with the other security agencies, has put in place all necessary security arrangement to forestall such an ugly incident,” Ajisebutu told the press.
“We have deployed our intelligence officers to provide adequate security in the school. As it is, it is still a rumour but we don’t want to take things for granted and because of this, we have provided adequate security, not only for the school, but for the people of the state.
“We enjoin members of the public to go about their lawful businesses and to be law-abiding.”
