Aluu 4: Key Suspect, 13 Others Paraded

President Goodluck Jonathan (left) acknowledging cheers from the crowd shortly on arrival at the Government House during his visit to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State , while the State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (right) looks on.

The Nigerian Police force says it has arrested the mastermind behind the killing of four University of Port Harcourt students in Umuokiri, Aluu community of Rivers State.

The suspect, whose name was given as Coxson Lerebori Lucky, also known as Bright’, was declared wanted after the four students, Ugonna Obuzor, 18; Lloyd Toku, 19, Tekena Elkanah, 20 and Chiadika Biringa,20 were killed.

The students were accused of stealing laptops and smart phones, an allegation which has been declared untrue by police authorities.

Reports have it  that the arrested suspect allegedly raised the false alarm which led to the  mob action and eventual murder of the students.

Already, 21 persons have so far been arrested and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has ordered an inquest into the alleged involvement of policemen, promising to bring to book any officer involved in the killing.

The IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, Monday at a press conference in Abuja gave the number of suspects arrested as 13.

Those arrested and paraded yesterday in Port Harcourt include Alhaji Hassan Welewa, the paramount ruler of Umuokiri community, Lawal Segun, Lucky Segun, Cynthia Chinwo and Ekpe Daniel.

Others are George Nwadei, Gabriel Oche, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Evans Samuel.

Also paraded were Endurance Edet, Umwn Sampson Akpabio, David Chinasa Ubaye as well as Ikechukwu Louis Amadi alias ‘Kapoon’.

Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Indabawa confirmed yesterday the arrest of thirteen suspects in connection with the murder of the students.

It would be recalled that the IGP had Monday issued a statement explaining how four students of the University were lynched at Umuokiri Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to Abubakar, when armed policemen arrived the scene, they were prevented by a mob which threw stones at them.

Consequently, the patrol team called for reinforcement but unfortunately, upon the arrival of the reinforcement, the alleged armed robbery suspects had been stoned and burnt to death, while the mob took to their heels, Abubakar said in a statement which he signed himself.

He said police commenced an investigation in which they arrested the traditional ruler of Umuokiri, Alhaji Hassan Welewa as he was found to have incited the mob to unleash terror on the victims.

Findings have revealed that the victims had gone to the area where they met their  unfortunate death earlier that morning to demand for money allegedly owed to them by Coxson Lelebori Lucky alias ‘Bright’, who raised a false alarm that the victims were armed robbers.

Coxson had since gone underground”, the IGP had said, but detectives are looking for him.

Abubakar had also stated that 18 people, most of them members of the vigilante group had been arrested in connection with the murder.

He specifically named Felemo Solomon, Cynthia Chinwo, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Samuel Evans as having been closely linked to this barbaric act.

Chidi Enyie