Gulu University blames police after student is killed in dawn attack

What the report says

Gulu University has blamed security agencies in Gulu City after a second-year student was killed in a pre-dawn attack near the university’s Faculty of Agriculture and Environment. The student, John Bosco Ngire, was studying education with a major in English and was reportedly hit on the head with a stone by unknown attackers around 4 a.m. on Saturday. The university said it remains unclear where he was coming from at the time.

According to the university’s public relations officer, James Ojok Onono, repeated assaults on students living near the main campus in Laroo-Pece Division point to a broader security failure. He argued that the presence of police and military offices in the area has not prevented attacks and warned that the university could seek help from national leaders if the situation continues. He also urged students to be more cautious, especially at night.

Peter Banya, the deputy resident city commissioner for Laroo-Pece Division, said no suspect had been arrested and that investigations had begun. He cited limited mobility for police and local officials as a factor affecting response times. The killing has renewed concern about safety around the university, especially for students and staff moving early in the morning or late at night. Ngire’s body was still at Gulu regional referral hospital mortuary, and the university planned an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the incident and possible security measures.