By Rasheedat Abidiesin
Nana Fridaus Sadiq, a 400-level law student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, wore her Qimar (long hijab) as she walked briskly through the narrow arcade that led to the mosque from her hostel room in DV. In no time, she already met up with her roommates who had earlier left her behind. It was 1:50 am on a Saturday morning. Completely oblivious of what would come next, Nana woke for Tahajjud prayer that night being one of the rare nights of the last ten Ramadan days.
At early twenties, Nana had a lot to tell her Lord during Laylatul Qadri (a unique night Muslims call Night of Majesty). With a bag full of wishes, she had joined her mates in the mosque for the midnight prayer.
“We woke up very late for the prayer. Since the time stipulated for Tahajjud is 1:30, we had to rush to the mosque in a hurry to join the prayer. However we left two of our roommates behind who were also coming for the prayer,” Nana began. “The sole mistake was that the last person in the room didn’t close the door,” she continued.
When they returned around 4 am, they met their room door unapologetically opened, and the lady sleeping, still indifferent where she had been.
“It was when people from other blocks started shouting in Hausa: they have stolen phones! And that was when we found out that two phones had been stolen in our room.”
Luckily for Nana Fridaus, she is not a victim, as she took her phone along while going to the mosque. However two of her roommates are not so lucky, an Iphone XX was carted away together with another android.
Living to Tell The Tale
Unlike Fridaus, 300-level Political Science student, Nana Hawau Sodiq lost her phone to an unsuspecting midnight burglar.
Hawau wore grief like borrowed clothes, while speaking, you could feel how painful she is about her lost phone. Although not physical, her voice, while speaking with digest, said a lot about the tears she tugged back.
“My phone was just three days old. I saved up for two good years just to change my phone. All for me to lose it just like that,” Hawau said, trying hard to hide her tears.
Zainab Danladi, another victim, had seen the thief while she (Zainab) was leaving for Tahajjud.
“I saw the lady but I couldn’t see her face because she turned her back, when I came out to perform ablution for tahajjud,” she furthered. “I was wondering because it’s only our room that has been allocated. As I shine my torch light she begins to walk down the stairs.”
Without any inkling of a looming mischief, Zainab finished her ablution and went back to her room.
“I took my things, before I woke my bunky up so that they could lock the door but sadly, she didn’t wake up and that’s the opportunity they seized to steal our phones.”
She would later be told that about eight phones were stolen from the hostel.
A Case Too Many
The issue of phone theft in Danfodiyo school hostels. In 2022, The News Digest Press reported how a burglar entered twelve rooms in Jblock of Jubril Aminu hostel and carted away several phones and other gadgets.
Cases reveal that perpetrators make use of prayer time as an avenue to strike. Owing to the fact that the majority of the residents would be in the hostel by that time.
The News Digest Press can report that Friday burglary is a rampant occurrence at the school hostel.
180k Down the Drain: Iphone without Longevity
Speaking of how the loss of her phone affects her. Hawau told Digest that she got her phone with the help of her father together with the amount she was able to contribute from her NELFUND upkeep.
“The day I got my phone was the happiest day of my life. I got my phone for 180,000 naira just for someone to come and steal it three days later,” she explained.
Ever since I lost my phone, I’ve been overly moody. I can’t help but think about the information that wouldn’t reach me on time. It’s affecting me and I pray it doesn’t affect my academics. I hope the management can secure our hostels more.”
Although, Fridaus said they went to the security with the hope that there could be something the security could do about it. However, their pleas to the security personnels resulted in the negative.
“They told us we don’t have enough evidence,” Nana Fridaus ended.