The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested a 300-level Accounting undergraduate of the Niger Delta University, African Innocent, for allegedly shooting to death a fellow student of the institution, James Okunmakpeye, at a lecture hall on Wednesday.
It was gathered that the victim was shot in the head at close range and died on the spot.
He was said to be standing by the door of the lecture room in the Faculty of Management Sciences in the state-owned institution on Wilberforce Island when the assailant attacked him.
The incident was said to have caused pandemonium as Okunmakpeye’s classmates and the lecturer ran away in fear, while the victim’s lifeless body was left in a pool of his own blood.
The Public Relations Officer, NDU, Mr Ingezi Idoni, confirmed the incident and said the management was investigating it and had contacted relevant security agencies.
Idoni, who stated that the student was killed during lecture hours, said, “There was a lecturer in the class during the incident. The deceased was shot by the door of the lecture room. He was late to class and was asked to come into the lecture hall. While he was offering reasons for his lateness, someone came from behind and shot him.
“The culprit after carrying out the dastardly act ran towards the Ogobiri side of the institution, where the perimeter fencing has failed, and escaped.
“We are using this opportunity to call on the state government to assist the institution in completing the perimeter fencing so as to assist in the security of lives and property on campus.”
The spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, said a suspect had been arrested in connection with the Okunmakpeye’s death, adding that the command had mobilised men to beef up security in the school.
Butswat stated, “When our teams were alerted, we responded swiftly and one suspect, African Innocent, a 300-level Accounting undergraduate of the institution, is in custody.
“The victim, James Okunmakpeye, was shot in the head at close range and he was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. We have beefed up security on the campus and we are going to arrest more suspects involved in the murder.”
(The Punch)
