Murder: Uniport students on rampage, set Omuokiri-Aluu ablaze

…Senate condemns killings, urges police to fish out perpetrators

PORT HARCOURT – Students of the University of Port Harcourt, went on the rampage Tuesday protesting the murder of four of their colleagues by youths in Omuokiri-Aluu community last Friday set ablaze no fewer than 12 houses in the community even as the university has been shut down by the school authorities.

Spokesman of the university, Dr William Wordi confirmed the closure of the school to the Vanguard on phone.  He assured he was going to send an official statement. It was yet to come at the time of this report.

Students from other institutions under the aegis of National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, stormed the university yesterday to mobilise students in Port Harcourt to protest  the brutal killing of three of their colleagues and one other by riotous youths in Omuokiri-Aluu community  last Friday.

The rampaging students blocked the East-West road for several hours before allegedly marching to Omuokiri-Aluu community to start wrecking havoc. Community sources told the Vanguard that the students torched about 12 houses.

Vanguard gathered that while the rampaging students were on the East West road, they reportedly insisted that they would only move out of the road after the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Joseph Ajienka had addressed them. The vice chancellor reportedly obliged them after securing assurances that he would not be rough handled.

Students pelt VC with sachet water
Sources said while the Vice Chancellor came to plead with the students to shun any temptation to be violent, some of the students immediately started hurling sachet water at him. Vanguard gathered that it took the timely intervention of security operatives to whisk him away from the spot. At press time, security operatives had been drafted to quell the situation.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State government has condemned the action of the rampaging students. Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs Ibim Semenitari who spoke to Vanguard yesterday cautioned the students against taking laws into their hands.

Rivers govt condemns action
While noting that there was no justification for the killing of the students she added that it was not enough reason for students of the school to indulge in extrajudicial act.

“There is no justification, no excuse for the killing. The Uniport students should not take the laws into their hands”, she pleaded. She further confirmed that security operatives had moved into the area to maintain law and order.

In a related development, the Senate condemned the jungle justice that members of the community carried out where the four students were hurriedly murdered without trial in the full glare of a cheering crowd. In honour of the deceased, the Senator observed a minute silence for them.