Law students of the Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, have unanimously condemned the gruesome killing of their colleague, Chiwueze Kingsley popularly called Saraki, who was declared missing on Friday, April 30, 2020 but was found dead at the Mortuary of the General Hospital, Umuguma on Sunday May 2 2021 where his corpse was deposited by unknown persons.
A source who pleaded anonymity, told this reporter that, “news of his disappearance was received last Friday while his family lodged a formal complaint to the police, and the operatives immediately commenced action to ascertain his whereabouts.
“However, on Saturday night, a voice note sent to the Law students Whatsapp platform said the deceased had been found dead and his corpse taken to the Federal Medical Centre. The voice note claimed that late Chiwueze was a victim of the sporadic shooting along Douglas Road on Monday April 26, 2021.
The circumstances surrounding the death of the Law student-the irreconcilable differences in the various reports as opposed to the state of the corpse when it was eventually found, have not only raised concerns but also given rise to suspicion of foul play. Hence his colleagues under the auspices of Law Students Association LAWSA have called on the state government, security agencies and other relevant agencies to get to the root of the matter with a view to bringing the culprits to book.
LAWSA, in a release signed by Oparaji Chinonso and Bisi Aretola, President and Secretary General respectively, said it is with grief and sadness that they announce the death of an esteemed colleagues, friend and brother,Chiwueze Kingsley (Saraki).
A source who pleaded anonymity wondered how corpse of somebody who was said to be a victim of the shooting along Douglas road on Monday 26th April was found on Saturday May 1, without any sign or trace of decomposition. Besides, shortly after the shooting at Ama Awusa, on that Monday, it was announced by the state owned radio station and other media that no life was lost and from that time till now, it was not mentioned anywhere that the incident recorded any fatality”.
“Another concern in the ugly episode is that the circulated voice note that was supported with pictures indicated that late Chiwueze’s body was deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri while it was actually found at the mortuary of the General Hospital, Umuguma. This glaring disparity sends a dangerous signal that something went wrong somewhere. And there is need to unravel the puzzle in the interest of peace, justice and fairness”.
“Moreso, a close look at his neck region indicates that he may have been strangulated”.
“It is heart rending, traumatic, psychologically and emotionally debilitating for a family, person or group to lose an enterprising, energetic and upwardly mobile young man who is a three hundred level student of Law in such inexplicable, questionable and suspicious manner. Though getting to the root of the matter and dispensing justice accordingly may not entirely pacify the aggrieved but it will to an extent assuage frayed nerves”.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the University, Nze Ralph Njoku-Obi said “my attention has been drawn to the incident and the Vice Chancellor has also been informed. By the end of today, we will have clear picture of what actually transpired”.
When also contacted, the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Okee Okoro said, he is aware of the Law student’s death but was yet to know the details of circumstances that led to his death. He also expressed reservation about conflicting reports about the late students death and recovery of the corpse.
“They initially said that no life was lost at the incident at Douglas road. We were also told that the corpse of the deceased Law student was deposited at the Federal Medical Centre with photographs to back it up. It is therefore surprising that he was, inspite of all this, found at the morgue of the General Hospital, Umuguma”.
Meanwhile, the two hundred level of Agricultural Student of Imo State University, Divine Nwaneri who was shot dead by security operatives in front of the Imo State Government House recently who was not buried on the earlier published date will be laid to rest this week as the state government has promised to foot the burial, hundred percent.
