Riot in PH over the Aluu 4 killings

Students Protesting in Port harcort

THE situation surrounding the killing of the four students of the University of Port Harcourt worsened on Tuesday evening, as students of the institution, led by the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), stormed Omuokiri-Aluu, burned houses and forced the closure of the school.

Matters went out of hands when members of NANS from institutions in the South-South and South-East organised a protest, demanding justice for the murdered students.

Speaking during the protest, South-East and South-South coordinator of NANS, Iyere Prosper Onono, said they would not leave until either the vice chancellor, Professor Joseph Ajienka, or Governor Rotimi Amaechi addressed them.

However, when the vice chancellor attempted to address the protesting students, he was booed and sachets of water were thrown at him.

Situations got worse when the students marched over to the community where the students were killed and set a few houses on fire.

In response to the escalating crisis, the university, speaking through its public relations officer, Dr William Wodi, announced the indefinite closure of its campuses, adding that the school would remain closed until normalcy returned.

The number of houses torched could not be immediately ascertained at the time of filing this report.

Police charge 11 to court

Meanwhile 11 persons suspected to be part of the mob that killed the four students have been charged to a High Court in Port Harcourt.

The state Police Commissioner, Mohammed Ndabawa, who made this known on Tuesday when the Executive Secretary of the National Human rights Commission, Professor Ben Angwe and his team visited him at the police headquarters in Port Harcourt, said a total of 13 persons had, so far, been arrested in connection with the incident.

Represented by deputy commissioner of police, Thomas Etomi, the Rivers police boss said two persons out of the 13 were kept behind to aid police investigation.

Senate tasks security agencies

Worried by the murder of four students of the university on Friday, the Senate, on Tuesday, directed security agencies to apprehend the killers.

This followed a resolution arrived at during a motion sponsored by Senator Ayogu Eze, condemning the manner the three male students of the University of Port-Harcourt and their friend were brutally murdered in the full glare of a cheering crowd.

The Senate, therefore, ordered the police and other security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the crime, including the spectators captured on video and try them for murder.

Eze, in the motion, informed that the lynching and burning of the three students was dehumanising and unacceptable.

Senate President, David Mark, condemned the act, adding that the attacks showed how incapable the police were in securing lives, having failed in their duty of apprehending the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the bereaved mother of Chiadika Biringa, in a petition addressed to the Senator Mark, said “we do not want this thing to be swept under the carpet like most investigations. We seek the help and intervention of the Senate to ensure that justice is done. Justice is the only thing that can assuage the pains and emotional traumas consuming us and clear the name of our son, so that he can rest in peace.”