UNIPORT DECLARES A WEEK OF MOURNING FOR THEIR SLAIN COLLEAGUES

University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has declared seven days of mourning for three of its students killed by irate mobs at Omokere-Aluu community, Friday, last week.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, who spoke to newsmen, yesterday, at the main campus of the university, described the killing of the students as a horrendous crime.

Stressing that the university would not tolerate any act of jungle justice, he commiserated with the bereaved families. He said the university had to suspend its students’ union week, which was to have commenced yesterday, in honour of the deceased students and also declared seven days mourning period, which would end on Sunday.

He said the three deceased persons confirmed to be students of the university were Biringa Lordson, a year two Theatre Arts student; Ugonna Obuzor, a year two Geology student and Mike Toku, a year two Civil Engineering student.

He said the fourth person killed alongside the other three was Tekena Erikena, adding that efforts were still on to confirm if he was a student of the university.

The Vice Chancellor said though the university had declared seven days mourning period for the deceased students, which took off yesterday, the university was still in session.

He dismissed allegations in some quarters that students of the university were mobilizing to storm Omokere-Aluu community, where the killing took place on a reprisal attack.

Prof Ajienka, who was flanked by other principal officers of the university, called on security operatives to fish out those behind the killings.

Meanwhile, news reports indicate that some residents have started relocating to neighbouring areas. They were reported to have blamed their exodus on fear of arrest by security operatives.

Some of them who spoke on strict condition of anonymity, said they had been living at the mercy of armed robbers in the community within the last six months.