Gulu University outlines security measures for students’, staff safety
Openjuru said students would only be allowed to leave bars at 8:00 a.m. under the proposed arrangement, although the implementation details were not immediately clear.
Gulu University outlines security measures for students’, staff safety
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Gulu University administration has proposed a series of security measures for the safety of students and staff amidst growing concerns that some criminal elements are targeting the university students and staff.
Between 2008 and this year, the university has registered five murder cases of its students and staff, with the latest case involving the late John Bosco Nyeri, a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Language.
The deceased was allegedly murdered by a suspected criminal gang on October 10, 2026, at about 4am, a case that attracted a backlash against the University management and the security for not doing enough to keep the members of the university fraternity safe.
However, in a recent general meeting held in the university’s main campus on October 13, 2026, the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. George Openjuru Ladaah, outlined several security measures to be put in place to ensure the safety of the students and staff.
The meeting was attended by the university's top management, student leaders, the city’s security personnel, personnel from the Resident City Commission’s office, students, as well as members of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the university.
According to Openjuru, the university would strengthen security monitoring at places commonly visited by students and introduce measures to discourage students from returning from bars late at night.
He said students would only be allowed to leave bars at 8:00 a.m. under the proposed arrangement, although the implementation details were not immediately clear.
Openjuru also urged students to remain alert to their surroundings, rather than concentrating on their mobile phones while walking, whether during the day or at night.
He proposed the use of coded language as one way of helping members of the university community identify unfamiliar people, arguing that people with malicious intentions could sometimes blend in with residents.
“They dress well, they speak nice English, they blend with us, and they tend to be one of us, but their intentions are bad,” he said.
The vice-chancellor further announced plans to strengthen surveillance at student hostels, saying hostel operators had been instructed to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Police and army pledge stronger security
Fred Ahimbisibwe, the Aswa West Region Police Commander, pledged to reinforce security at Gulu University and increase community policing initiatives.
He said the police would engage students on personal security measures to help them recognise and avoid potential threats.
Maj. Michael Oumo, the commander of the 101 UPDF Battalion, which operates in Omoro District and Gulu City, represented the UPDF 4th Infantry Division commander, Maj. Gen. Wilberforce Sserunkuma Karate.
Oumo said the army would take action against the suspected criminal groups responsible for the attacks.
Ambrose Onoria, the Gulu Resident City Commissioner, said a security plan had been drawn up to address the problem.
He pledged that a patrol vehicle would be deployed to the university in November 2026.
Onoria also urged students to exercise caution when socialising and consuming alcohol, saying some investigations had suggested that certain victims might have encountered attackers while returning from nights out or visits to partners.
Guild president accuses security agencies of inaction
Meanwhile, Pius Onekgiu, the Gulu University Guild President, criticised security agencies for what he described as a failure to adequately protect students and staff from repeated attacks.
Onekgiu acknowledged that personal security begins with individuals but argued that security agencies must also fulfil their responsibility to protect the university community and apprehend suspected criminals, locally referred to as Aguu.
He questioned why the persistent attacks had not been brought under control despite the presence of security installations, military personnel, and other security resources in Gulu City.
He also expressed concern over the lack of feedback on several cases reported to police by students.
Onekgiu cited the killing of Christopher Nyeko, a laboratory assistant at Gulu University Health Centre III, who was murdered in May 2026 in an incident allegedly involving Aguu.
He said no suspects had been arrested and the university had not received feedback on the investigation.
The guild president further raised concerns about the limited police presence at the university, saying only two police officers had been deployed to serve a community of more than 10,000 people.
He added that the absence of patrol vehicles had hampered the university security team's ability to conduct motorised patrols and respond promptly to incidents.
Onekgiu insisted that students deserved safety and peace, emphasising that the right to life was non-negotiable.
Infrastructure projects expected to improve safety
Gulu University, a public university in northern Uganda, operates a largely non-residential model, with many students living in privately managed hostels and rented accommodation outside the campus.
According to the university, it has secured World Bank funding to construct two accommodation facilities, each designed to house 1,000 students, providing a combined capacity of 2,000 beds.
The government is also undertaking construction of an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) training facility.
Gulu City Council has pledged to tarmac some of the roads connecting the university and install streetlights along the routes.
The planned improvements are expected to address some of the dark spots where students have reportedly been attacked.