Policeman Shoots Student Over Stolen Phone

There was palpable tension at Ijegwu community in Obi local government area of Benue State following the alleged shooting of a student by a police officer, weekend, after a heated argument.

Vanguard gathered from an eyewitness that the victim, Augustine Ajom, a student, allegedly engaged the police officer, who was armed with an AK 47 rifle, in a heated argument over a missing phone when the policeman allegedly shot him.

According to our source at Obarike-Ito, headquarters of Obi local government area, the police officer was part of a team dispatched to Oju on a special assignment from the Otukpo Area Command when the unfortunate incident occurred.

Vanguard gathered that the shooting of the student elicited angry reaction from members of Ijegwu community who went haywire and manhandled one of the policemen.

The angry villagers allegedly went further to set ablaze the Volkswagen Golf car which was used for the special mission by the policemen.

Meanwhile, victims of the mob attack and the shot student are said to be receiving treatment at the Obarike-Ito General Hospital after being transferred from a clinic at Itakpa.

Reacting to the incident, Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, Daniel Ezeala denied that the police shot anybody in the fracas.

According to him, "a mob in the said village attacked the police men on patrol duties, for an unjustifiable reasons; they also went a step further to set ablaze their car after thoroughly manhandling one of the police men. There is no truth in their claim that our men shot a student of the community before the attack; it is absolutely false".

In his reaction after visiting the scene of the crisis, Chairman of Obi local government council, Mr Odeh Michael appealed to the people of Ijegwu, Opirikwu and Okpokwu to remain calm and allow the law take its full course in the matter.

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LASU killings: 34 Arrested Students Face Extra Year

No fewer than 34 students of the Lagos State University have missed the first semester examinations which began on Monday. The students are currently in police detention following the killings of two students of the institution. The implication of this is that the students will automatically carry over all their courses.

The development could also lead to some of them having extra year because some of the courses must be passed before advanced level of the courses could be studied. Over 70 students were arrested in connection with the killings of two students of the school, Hip Hop artiste, Damilola Olaniyan aka Damino Damoche and Kabiru Atoyebi.

It was learnt that after the suspects were screened at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, about 36 students were released while others remained in custody. The Students Union Government of the institution had appealed to the school authorities to ensure the suspected students were allowed to participate in the examination, while their interrogation continued. According to a source in the school, who pleaded anonymity, the SUG feels that the students do not deserve to be treated like criminals since they have not been found guilty.

He said, "The students were indiscriminately arrested in their hostels by policemen and abandoned in the cell since March 3, 2013." But the SUG's Public Relations Officer, Adeleke Stephen, said, "This is a clear example of the effect of cultism. I see no reason why students should not face their education. For the good of all, I advise all students on campus to avoid engaging in cultism and all acts that may lead to disorderliness."

All efforts to speak with the spokesperson for the institution, Sola Fosudo, proved abortive as all calls made to his telephone rang out. The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. John Obafunwa, when contacted, directed our correspondent to his deputy. However, a senior official of the school, who craved anonymity, said it was not LASU's fault that the students missed sitting for the examination. He added that the school would not make any concession for them.

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