By: Safiya Shaibu
In the quiet hours of Sunday, March 24th, an unsettling event unfolded in one of the female halls of residence at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. The theft of coal pots, vital for cooking during the Ramadan season, sent shockwaves within the hall.
As residents prepared for Sahur, the pre-dawn meal, they were greeted with disbelief and confusion upon discovering their coal-pots missing. This sparked a swift reaction, with students from neighboring hostels converging on IA Hall, the epicenter of the incident.
Blessing Adejoh, a 400-level Forestry student and victim, shared her distress at losing two coal pots.
“It was a bitter experience to have two coal pots stolen at this time of hiking. Purchasing a new one is way too costly. I might just have to keep borrowing for the rest of the semester, she lamented.
highlighting the financial strain of replacing them amid rising prices, she added, “ A single coal pot now costs ₦1100, making it a significant expense for students to afford.”
More Ordeals
Speaking with The News Digest Press, another victim, Aminat Musa, a 200-level Mass Communication student, expressed her dismay over the unfortunate part of the theft on her side.
Her words: ” It’s an ugly incident and I don’t wish to experience it again. Cooking with someone else’s coal-pot is not something desirable.
Another victim is Doriza Ado, a 200-level Business Administration student, who echoed similar sentiments and, shocked that her coal pot vanished without a trace
“ I never thought my coal-pot could go missing just like that.” she lamented
Also, Sumayya Muhammad, a 400-level student from the faculty of law was not left out in the brisk of coal-pot theft.
Being the type who always leaves her coal-pot outside her room till the next day but the detriment of her stolen coal-pot surge pricks her to change her way of keeping it inside her corner.
“I was downcast when my coal-pot was stolen but it taught me a lesson of not keeping it outside again”, she said.
“I will never leave the new one outside again unless I want to use it”.
Hall Governor Reacts
In response to these incidents, Hafsat Muhammad, the IA hall governor, acknowledged the need for heightened security measures.
She admitted being unaware of the thefts initially but has since taken steps to lock the entrance gate— a precautionary measure to safeguard residents’ belongings.
In her words, she said: “I wasn’t aware of the occurrence of theft before, as no one made any complaint to me. But, I have started locking the entrance gate of the hall because it was not locked when the incident of coal-pot theft happened.”