For many students at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), the battle against mosquitoes has become a nightly struggle for survival. As dusk falls, the whine of mosquitoes turns hostels and classrooms into battlefields, forcing students to wear layers of clothing or retreat under mosquito nets in a desperate attempt to keep the insects at bay.
Situated in the arid northwest of Nigeria, UDUS endures harsh weather extremes — blistering heat and biting cold. But this rainy season has brought a different kind of discomfort: a surge in mosquito activity believed to be linked to millet farms planted dangerously close to student hostels. The tall crops, while valuable for food production, provide ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Millet Fields at the Centre of the Crisis
Final-year Law student Olagunju Kabir Oladeji said the mosquito invasion worsens each rainy season, especially around the millet fields. He now avoids the area altogether.
“The mosquitoes are unbearable. They disrupt night classes and make studying almost impossible. I’ve used insecticide and sleep under a net, but even that doesn’t help,” he lamented.
Kabir said many of his friends have fallen ill with malaria and urged the university to relocate or remove the millet fields.
“Walking near the fields at night is dangerous — mosquitoes and even criminals hide there,” he added.
Public Administration student Olatunji Yusuf echoed similar concerns, describing the mosquito menace as a serious health and security challenge for those living near the Benji area.
“It’s making life unbearable and affecting academic productivity,” he said.
Malaria Cases on the Rise
Accounting student Jamiu Oloyin confirmed a spike in mosquito bites during the rainy season despite taking precautions.
“I use repellents and a net, but I still got malaria and was sick for five days,” he said.
Like others, Jamiu supports clearing the millet fields to protect students’ health. According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), malaria spreads through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito — a common threat in environments like UDUS.
Security Fears Mount
Law student Maryam Umar Ayomide said the mosquito problem is compounded by security risks.
“I don’t go to night classes anymore. The area is too risky. The crops provide cover for people with bad intentions,” she said.
Maryam now covers herself completely at night and has also suffered from malaria. “The university must act quickly,” she urged.
Another student, Lamaz Arisekola, said the situation is inescapable.
“The millet fields surround the hostels. Even thick clothing can’t stop the mosquitoes. The school clinic is full of sick students,” he said.
Lamaz cited the 2024 World Malaria Report by the Severe Malaria Observatory, which noted that Nigeria bears the world’s highest malaria burden — 25.9% of global cases and 30.9% of deaths. He argued that “a residential area cannot serve as farmland.”
Beyond Mosquitoes: Crime and Campus Fear
Agriculture student Rofiah Abdullah said the millet fields have become hideouts for petty criminals locally known as Yaro boys.
“They rob and harass students. Night classes are now empty because of the fear of mosquitoes and attacks,” she explained.
Rofiah and her roommate recently recovered from malaria. “This isn’t just about comfort — it’s about safety and public health,” she said.
Education student Ridwanullahi Ayobami said he has stopped reading outside or at night due to mosquito bites and fears of snakes lurking in the bushy fields.
“I read during the day now. The environment around the hostels is no longer safe,” he said.
Public Health Experts Raise Alarm
Zakariyau Dauda, founder of UDUS Antimicrobial Resistance Stewards, described the situation as a “public health emergency.”
“Frequent malaria infections increase drug use, and incomplete treatments among students promote drug-resistant malaria parasites,” he explained.
Dauda warned that the problem extends beyond UDUS:
“The millet fields are an epidemiological trigger for disease outbreaks. Addressing them is not just about comfort — it’s about preventing malaria and protecting the effectiveness of our medicines.”
A Campus in Distress
Once vibrant night classes and open-air tutorials have fallen silent. Around Benji, traders close early, driven away by mosquitoes. Students now fight through sleepless nights, swatting insects and battling malaria, as they plead for urgent action from the university.
For them, the question remains: will the administration clear the millet fields and reclaim the campus from mosquitoes — or will students continue their nightly battle for survival?