LYNCHED UNIPORT STUDENTS WERE NOT ROBBERS, DEBTOR MASTERMINDED THEIR KILLINGS – INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

The police on Monday in Abuja confirmed
that the four University of Port Harcourt students killed by a mob at Aluu, Rivers State, were not robbers. A debtor who set them up masterminded their killings, the police rather said.

Four students, Ugunna Obuzor, (18), Lloyd Toku, (19), Tekena Elkanah, (20) and Chiadaka Odinga, (20) were lynched on October 5, 2012 by a mob.

The police named Coxson Lucky, alias Bright, as the mastermind behind the killings.

The Force also said it had arrested 21 other persons, among them Segun Lawal, Felemo Solomon; Cynthia Chinwo; Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Samuel Evans said to have played key roles in the killings.

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who said Lucky raised the alarm that resulted in the lynching of the students, however, assured that all those found culpable in the killings would be prosecuted.

The victims, Abubakar, who spoke through the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said had gone to the community that morning to demand money allegedly owed them by Lucky, who raised the alarm that they were armed robbers.

Although, Lucky, the police chief said, had gone underground, detectives were still on his trail.

He said, “Intelligence report implicated the traditional ruler of Omukiri community, Aluu, Alhaji Hassan Welewa, as being the person who incited the mob to unleash terror on the victims. Further investigation conducted by the police indicates that four suspects, namely: Felemo Solomon; Cynthia Chinwo; Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Samuel Evans have been closely linked to this barbarous act.”

He said investigation was ongoing and efforts were being intensified to track down others who were involved in the incident.