Suspected Killers Of UNIPORT ALUU 4

Rivers State police command yesterday paraded suspects who allegedly participated in the gruesome killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) at Omuokiri-Alu, Ikwerre Local Government Area.

A total of 12 suspects, including a lady, were paraded at the Rivers State police headquarters along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt for killing Ugunna Obuzor, 18, and 200 level Geology student; Lloyd Toku, 19, 200 Level Civil Engineering student; Tekena Elkanah, 20, Diploma Technical student and Chiadaka Odinga, 20, 200 level Theatre Arts student.

However, the traditional ruler of Omuokiri-Aluu Community, Alhaji Hassan Welewa, was not among those paraded, although his name appeared on the list of suspects mentioned by the Police Commissioner, Mohammed Abdulkadir Indabawa, who had earlier briefed reporters on the arrest.

He said that on October 15, two suspects were arrested for the killing, to take the number to 13, noting that the police were still carrying out investigation on the killing..

“It is not the philosophy of the Inspector-General of Police to parade suspects.

Nonetheless, the gruesome manner in which the crime was committed coupled with the direct and glaring involvement of some of these suspects and the interest generated by the heinous crime left the police with no option than to parade them,” he said.

Of the 12 paraded suspects, the police brought out only three of them to field questions from reporters.

Among those paraded are Ekpe Daniel, 30; Lucky Orji, 43; George Nwadei, 30; Chigozie Evans Samuel, Ozioma Abajuo, 23; David Chinasa Ugbaje, 30; Cynthia Chinwo, 24; Lawal Segun, 28; Uwem Sampson Akpabio and Ikechukwu Louis Amadi (Alias Kapoon), 32.

The Force Headquarters in Abuja had on Monday announced the arrest of 21 persons involved in the killing.

The Rivers police command, which paraded 12 of the 21 suspects, did not state the whereabouts of the remaining nine suspects, including the traditional ruler.

One of the suspects, who spoke to reporters, disclosed that a policeman joined in the beating after he arrived with another policeman who urged the mob to stop the beating, and spare the lives of the students.

He added that despite the appeal by the policeman for the beating to stop, the mob refused.

The suspect, who gave his name as David, noted that he did not participate in the killing, but “only flogged them twice.”