By Joseph Joy

Agbani – Perhaps, the last time a report was made about rats’ invasion was when the rodents “invaded” Nigeria’s Seat of Power, Aso Rock in Abuja in 2017 and “chased” the then president, Muhammadu Buhari out of office. Though sounded like a fairy-tale, the fact is that the rodents invaded the office and caused havoc on furniture and documents. Laughable, right?

Well, in ESUT, the excitement of returning to school after a long vacation turned into dismay for many students as they discovered their hostel rooms have been overrun by rats.

The intriguing development is the fact that the hostel rooms were locked and some barricaded with burglary, nevertheless, the rodents left trails of destruction, devouring foods, textbooks, and even personal belongings. Chairs and plastic cups were not spared either.

Evidently knowing that the occupants have left, the rats regrouped in numbers and caused students nightmarish memories to live with as students returning from their August-October vacation, had perplexing stories to tell as they arrived in their rooms with everything turned upside down

Foods including their containers, documents such as files as well as textbooks, and in some cases, cooking utensils, were not spared by the marauders

One student, who gave her name as Lizzy, living in one of the hostels inside campus, shared her harrowing experience with our reporter, “I was shocked to find my room in disarray upon return. Dust, dirt, and rat droppings covered every surface. My leftover food was gone, and to my surprise, half of my plastic cup had been eaten away.” The student expressed astonishment, having never encountered such a situation before.

Further investigation revealed that the rats had exploited the student’s absence and the hostel’s infrastructure vulnerabilities. “My door’s height allows easy entry for the rodents,” the student noted.

A thorough search for entry points yielded no visible holes, leaving many wondering how the rats infiltrated the rooms.

The student’s experience is not isolated. Peers shared similar tales of woes, recounting rat attacks on textbooks, files, clothing, and even a gas cylinder.

A student living in one of the lodges at Back Gate, claimed that he was bitten on the hand by a rat while sleeping, while another reported the rodents gnawing on her leg.

Health Implications

Experts emphasize the importance of proactive measures to prevent rat infestations. “Rats seek opportunities to exploit food sources and comfortable environments,” says a pest control specialist. “Keeping surroundings clean, sealing entry points, and using deterrents like rat poison can effectively mitigate the problem.”

Students are now taking matters into their own hands, adopting preventive strategies to safeguard their belongings.

“After cleaning and covering their entry spaces in my room thoroughly, I haven’t seen any signs of rat activity,” Lizzy observed.

The school administration has been urged to address the issue promptly, ensuring hostel facilities are rodent-free to prevent future occurrences. Fumigation of the hostels in campus is advocated same way landlord’s and lodge owners are advised to ensure efficient hygiene practices around their building.

It could be recalled that the outbreak of Lassa fever in the country in 2020 was attributed to rats urine and droppings when they contaminated with foods.

Students are further warned not leave their food containers open, particularly foods such as garri.

Prevention Tips:

Rats live in holes which they dug through burrowing. They always find it comfortable to live in a building inhabited by humans so as to have easy access to foods. So, how would you prevent them from invading your house?

– Keep your environment clean and clutter-free

– Seal all entry points, including holes and gaps

– Store food and trash securely

– Use rat poison or deterrents

– Regularly inspect rooms for signs of rat activity

By taking collective action, students and authorities can combat the rat menace, ensuring a safe and healthy living environment for student.

A short video of the havoc done by the rodents to a student