There was tension at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) on Saturday after operatives of Man O’ War allegedly tortured a 100-level cybersecurity student, identified as Chibuzor Chinedu, to death.
Chinedu was reportedly arrested by the cadets and subjected
to hours of torture by them over the alleged theft of N13,000.
Several students pleaded for his release, but their pleas
were ignored until he allegedly died as a result of the torturing.
His death reportedly sparked outrage across the campus, with
students staging a violent protest to register their grievance.
The aggrieved crowd was said to have demolished all Man O’
War bases on the campus.
In a viral video circulating
on X, students were seen in large numbers demanding justice for their slain
colleague.
In a statement, the FUTO Association of Campus Journalists
described the incident as one of the darkest moments in the institution’s
history.
The union said allegations of prolonged torture by members
of the Man O’ War unit culminated in Chinedu’s death.
The body of student journalists said Chinedu was serving as
the aide-de-camp (ADC) to the commander of the cadet organisation on the
campus, noting that the incident stemmed from an internal dispute within the
paramilitary group.
According to the union, the late student was arrested and
subjected to prolonged physical punishment by fellow Man O’ War personnel on
Friday night.
“Accounts surrounding the origin of the dispute remain
conflicting,” the statement reads.
“While some sources allege that Chinedu was accused of
stealing N13,500 belonging to the commander, Benedict, others maintain that the
issue stemmed from an alleged debt of N13,000.
“Regardless of the differing accounts, multiple sources
claim that Chinedu was subjected to hours of severe assault and punishment that
reportedly lasted between five and six hours.”
The union said witnesses alleged that the beating continued
deep into the night, with the student enduring repeated physical abuse at the
hands of fellow members of the organisation.
It added that the incident triggered widespread outrage
across the university community on Saturday, leading to mass protests and the
destruction of Man O’ War facilities.
It was gathered that C.E. Orji, dean of student affairs, and
Christopher Bukas, president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), made
efforts to engage the protesters.
However, the students declined to back down, insisting that
nothing short of the complete dissolution of the Man O’ War unit would satisfy
their demand for justice.
Speaking to TheCable, Nduka Victory, the SUG public
relations officer (PRO), said the university had placed an indefinite ban on
Man O’ War activities on the campus in a bid to calm the rising tension.
Henry Okoye, police spokesperson in Imo, also confirmed the
incident to TheCable.
Okoye said the commissioner of police had deployed a
tactical team from the area command to the university.
He said the police have arrested some suspects in connection
with the murder of the student, adding that an official statement would soon be
released on it.
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