By Henry Umahi
For the family of Prince Ik Magnus Okeke of Obowo in Imo State, these are troubled times. They are weeping in the valley of tears following the monumental disaster that befell them.
Like all responsible parents, Okeke had good plans for his son, also called Magnus. One of such plans was to give him unrestricted education, to equip him to conquer his world.
So, Okeke sent Magnus jnr. to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike(AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State to study Accountancy. Unfortunately, Magnus jnr. did not accomplish his aspiration. He was abducted and killed by evil men from the pit of hell in the host community of the university. And the Okekes remain devastated.
Magnus’ offence was that he was involved in a minor bicycle accident on his way to his hostel from school. The victims of the accident took him to an unknown destination and his lifeless body was discovered some days later.
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A source said: “He only dodged an oncoming bike and the Ikwo guys got injured because he dodged being hit by the bike. So, the guys were requesting treatment and he followed them, since then he has not been found. The latest development is that the guy is dead. His decomposed body was found by a river side and one of my course mates, who is a close friend to the deceased, went to confirm that he is actually the one from the clothes he wore the last time they saw him before the abduction took place. So, he said the missing guy is actually dead.”
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Confirming the development, the public relations officer of the school, Elom Iyke Ubochi, said: “It is with great concern that we inform the university community of the abduction of Magnus Okeke, an extra year student of the Department of Accountancy, on June 1, 2024. The incident occurred outside the university campus while on his way back to the private hostel where he resided, at Ohankwu village, Ndufu-Alike community.
“The security agencies have apprehended some of those alleged to be involved in the abduction, and did everything possible to rescue him alive. Unfortunately, on June 17, 2024, the decomposing body of Magnus was painfully recovered under the bridge of Ako stream, at the Nwakpu village, along Ikwo-Abakaliki road.”
Meanwhile, the prime suspect in the abduction and murder of Magnus has been arrested. The suspect, Ogobuchi Uhuo alias OG Royal, who hails from Ohankwu village, Ndufu-Alike, was arrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State after the police launched a manhunt for him.
It was gathered the prime suspect has been a terror to students and members of the community for sometime.
On June 5, 25 students of the Ajayi Crowther University in Oyo State were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court in connection with the murder of Prince Alex Timileyin, a student who was beaten to death by his colleagues for allegedly stealing a mobile phone. They have been remanded in prison until July 8, pending trial.
In May, a female student of Ebonyi State University (EBSU) identified as Favour Ugwuka reportedly committed suicide at her hostel in Ishieke, Abakaliki, the state capital. Her mother, Grace Ugwuka, alleged that she was victimized by one of her lecturers whose course she wrote three times and couldn’t pass, forcing her to take her life. However, the lecturer and school management denied any complicity in her death.
Also in May, a 200-level student of the Department of Information Science at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso in Oyo State, identified as Adedokun Olamilekan was stabbed to death at the Under G area in the town by unknown persons.
Similarly, in May this year, two of the students kidnapped from the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Kogi State were killed despite ongoing negotiations with the parents of the children.
A source disclosed that the students allegedly killed were James Michael Anajuwe, a 100 level Information Technology student, and Musa Hussein, a 100 level Software Engineering student of the institution. They were allegedly killed at the kidnappers’ den in Kwara State.
In March 2024, operatives of the Imo State Police Command arrested a 21-year-old student of the Imo State University, Francis Marvelous, for allegedly stabbing to death, a final-year student of the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, identified as Marvelous Kingsley.
The command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, disclosed that the FUTO student was killed following an altercation with the suspect.
The command’s statement reads: “Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have arrested an alleged 300-level student of Imo State University (IMSU) Owerri named Francis Marvellous ‘m’, 21yrs, who hails from Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State for allegedly stabbing to death Chinagorom Marvellous Kingsley ‘m’, 22yrs, who is a final year student of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and a member the university’s Man O’ War Unit.
“The arrest was sequel to a swift response to a distress call received from the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of FUTO, retired DSP Patrick Egwu, by police operatives on convoy patrol who promptly arrested the suspect who was almost lynched at the scene by an angry mob.
“The body of the victim was recovered and rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Owerri where he was confirmed dead and deposited at the mortuary.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, admitting that he had a heated argument with personnel of the university’s Man O’ War Unit on 29/03/2024 at about 2200hrs during which he brought out a knife he neatly concealed in his trousers and stabbed the victim to death. He mentioned three others who were with him during the fight. They include his brother, Francis Promise, Prince and a man popularly known as Soji.
“Efforts are on top gear to arrest the suspects at large and ascertain their involvement in the case. The suspect(s) will be arraigned in court upon completion of a comprehensive investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department.”
On March 22, at least two female students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi reportedly died following a stampede that occurred at the university’s convocation square, which was the venue for the distribution of palliatives to the students by the state government.
It was gathered that the two female students died as a result of the stampede which left others with several degrees of injuries.
In his reaction, the National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, Yunusa Baduku, said: “Seriously, what happened this morning at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, is uncalled for, and very pathetic.
“After our arrangement for the distribution of palliatives to the students which was to hold at the University’s convocation square, they (students) suddenly arrived at the venue in their numbers and overpowered the security.
“They broke through the gate into the Convocation square where the bags of rice was to be share.
“Unfortunately, most of our female students sustained several degrees of injuries, while others got suffocated because of the population at the venue for the distribution of the palliatives.
“Right now, I am at the Federal Medical Centre Keffi, where we brought some of our students for emergency treatment.
“Also, as National President of NASA, I got an official report that one student has died as a result of the unfortunate incident.”
He could not confirm the number of people injured as they were taken to different locations for treatment.
The same month, the Kwara State Police Command confirmed the arrest of four undergraduate students of the Kwara State University, Malete, for allegedly beating a fellow student to death. The incident happened in one of the private hostels outside the school.
Police public relations officer in the state, DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, said:
“What happened is that the incident has to do with blackmail. Two ladies were contracted to deliver something to somebody and when they went to deliver the item, they said as they were leaving the place, somebody told them that someone had recorded them.
“They then went to meet the person that committed the act and they started a fight and in the process, a student was beaten to death.
“Investigation is still ongoing. We have four suspects concerning the crime. At the conclusion of the investigation, they will be charged to court.”
Last March, Emmanuel Victor appeared in a viral video depicting the killing of a student of Abia State University Uturu (ABSU), Emmanuel Uche. Now in police net, he has confessed that he killed the victim and why he did it.
He told journalists: “I am here because I committed murder. I actually killed Emmanuel Uche.
“I am a student of Abia State University, Uturu and studying Optometry, level 500. I killed him. He is a member of another cult group that came to pick up a phone from us.
“After we finished talking, we told them that they should come back later in the day to pick the phone. One of Emmanuel’s members, that is the one I shot at, escalated and then I shot him in the leg.
“I do regret the action. A day before that day, they come looking for one of my members. That night, my member was walking around their lodge and saw one of them. Then he took the phone from them and brought it to his own lodge.
“The next day, when they came back to take their phone, the thing happened”He pleaded for a second chance, stating that this was his first time killing somebody.
According to the police, “On 11/3/2024, a viral video surfaced depicting the murder of Emmanuel Uche, a 500-level student of Abia State University, in front of Miracle Lodge, Uturu.
“Acting on credible intelligence, on 18/4/2024, at about 1100hrs, a team of police detectives from Abia State Police Command apprehended the principal suspect at Isiukwuato who was captured in the viral video committing the murder of Emmanuel Uche at Miracle Lodge, Abia State University, Uturu.
“The suspect, identified as Emmanuel Victor, has confessed to the crime. He is currently in lawful custody and will be charged to court”.
The suspect disclosed that he is from Mbaitolu in Imo State and based in Port Harcourt.
On March 15, 2024, Egba Onisowurun Nduoma, a 300-level Accounting student of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, died under mysterious circumstances. He was found dead at the Delta bus/taxi park.
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