Fear and anxiety grip the staff and students of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, as dangerous snakes allegedly takes over the institution.
Members of staff, students, canteen operators and others who work and reside on the campus premises of the Institution, have reportedly sighted dangerous and poisonous snakes laying an ambush in ceilings, offices, hostels, bathrooms and other places.
It was gathered that power supply outage worsened the situation, making it difficult for the students to see the lurking snakes.
The students, who described the situation as worrisome, called on the management of the institution to fumigate the entire campus, to forestall a possible attack on the students.
It was learnt that a female student who was bathing, narrowly escaped being bitten when a snake suddenly dropped from the ceiling of the bathroom. She had to run out of the bathroom naked.
A student who spoke on condition of anonymity said they now lived in their hostels in constant fear and anxiety.
“We now live in fear in this hostel. Snakes were found and killed yesterday in one of the girl’s hostels. Snakes are now everywhere and nothing is being done about it.
“Somebody was bathing and a snake almost fell on her. She ran out naked, she was very lucky.
“Snakes are just everywhere as you see this hostel, even in the portals, offices, snakes have taken over, we are just confused. They will not give us light to see or read despite the fact that some of us are writing exams.
“We are begging the school management to come to our aid and fumigate everywhere so we can be peaceful,”
she said.
The Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic, Mr Mustapha Osahiobugie, denied the alleged invasion of reptile in the institution.
He disclosed that two giant generators were set aside for the students to ensure adequate power supply in their hostels.
“Our hostel building is two storeys. We do spot check every week and none of our ceilings is compromised. The roofs are well covered, so, how will a snake now fall from the ceiling?
“On the environment as it relates to sanitation, the horticulture staff are fully in charge, but I will inform them right away to go and check the sports complex and every area concerned,”
he added