Another 300L ''UNIBEN'' Student Shot Dead

                  Barely two weeks after a 300-Level Chemistry student of the University of Benin was gruesomely murdered at the Ugbowo Campus of the university by suspected cultists, another student of the university has been shot dead in a similar fashion..

            PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim, identified only as James, had gone to watch the UEFA Champion’s League matches at Ekosodin, a satellite community of the campus which is notorious for gang wars.

It was learnt that a few minutes after leaving the viewing centre around 11pm, the victim, who was a student of Vocational and Technical Education was shot in the face at close range.

A source said the victim’s head was shattered while his white T-Shirt and lemon shorts were soaked in blood.

The source told our correspondent that the remains of the late James were taken to the Accident and Emergency Ward of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

The source said James’ murder might be a reprisal for the murder of Ejiroghene Gbenedio, who was killed at the 1000-Lecture Theatre field of the Faculty of Physical Sciences.

It could, however, not be confirmed if the deceased was a cult member or not.

He said, “It might be connected with cult activities on the campus. But he was aware of what happens at Ekosodin at night because that place is very dangerous. I cannot say exactly why James was killed because I don’t know if he was a cultist.”

 

But the university’s Public Relations Officer, Harrison Osarenren, told our correspondent on the telephone that no student of the institution had been killed recently, other than the death of the late Gbenedio, which the school authority officially confirmed.

He maintained that no murder occurred “on the school campus”.

“There is nobody that has died in UNIBEN; I’m even with the Chief Security Officer right now. Nobody was shot dead in the University of Benin,” he said.

When contacted, the Assistant Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Command, Mr. Ejiroro Awara, confirmed that a murder had been reported. He, however, said the identity of the victim could not be immediately ascertained and thus could not confirm if he was a student of UNIBEN.

He said, “It was reported to the police. We don’t know if he was a student but a case like that was reported to the police; we are investigating it.

“We have yet to ascertain whether he was a student or not. Somebody was shot dead and we are investigating.