Students of Taraba State University (TSU) Jalingo living off campus at ATC, By-Pass, Kasuwan-Mbeera and Nunkai within the university community have condemned epileptic power supply within their areas by the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC).
The students who are currently undergoing their semester examinations in the university lamented that the lack of the YEDC’s power supply has inflicted serious hardship on their well-being both academically and in their social life, stating that they find it difficult to read.
Those who spoke to LEADERSHIP, particularly female students, lamented that they are always at risk while going out in search of a power supply to read and power their lamps in preparation for their examination.
One of the female students, Miss Lucy Vangu, spoke with our correspondent and said she escaped two rape attempts while on her way to the university campus to use the university light in preparation for her examination.
“I am living off campus but still within the university community at ATC, to be precise; YEDC normally supplies power between 12 and night and ceases it in the early hours of the day; we used to go into the school to use the street light to read for our examination.
“Two things happen to us: we that are female, bad boys always target us when we are going out in the night to read, I have escaped two rape attempts while going into the school to read.
“Another thing is that as we leave our rooms to go out and read, some bad boys target our rooms to burgle and steal our foodstuff and other items; all the difficulties are caused by the epileptic power supply by the YEDC,” Vangu stated.
LEADERSHIP gathered that apart from inside the TSU, the public power supply at the university community lasts mostly five hours daily, that is, between midnight and 5:30 am.
When contacted, the business manager of the YEDC Jalingo branch, Mallam Kyali Muhammad Idris, told our correspondent he was indisposed to comment on the matter.
“I am in a meeting. We can talk when I am out,” although he did not pick up his calls or return any when contacted.
