2 arrested as varsity student drowns in Edo

A student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Francis Aniude, 23, has allegedly drowned in Ekosodin River, located in Ekosodin community near the Ugbowo campus of the institution.

Two students, Samson Kennedy, a 200-level student of Biochemistry and Wilfred Emmanuel, a 500-level student of Optometry, who invited the deceased to the river, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The duo, who were said to be the neighbours with the deceased were alleged to have on June 29, invited him to Ekosodin River for a swimming, where he allegedly drowned.

The duo, after the deceased got drowned, ran back to Ekosodin community and vigilante to seek help but the deceased died before help could come his way.

• Sierra Leone election: Main opposition rejects results, demands rerun
• Plateau crisis: Farmers accuse herders of destroying crops in Plateau

The corpse was recovered from the river on July 1 by local divers after he was declared missing.

The recovery happened after the incident had been reported at BDPA Ugbowo Police Station by the vigilante.

A source within the institution said the two students were arrested following the discovery of blood on the deceased’s lips and peeled skin around his neck region, which raised suspicion amongst family members and relatives who are demanding for an autopsy.

When contacted, the Edo State Command’s spokesperson, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said the duo were arrested to help the police in investigating the circumstances behind the death.

“The case has been reported at the Ugbowo Police Station. Eventually, the Divisional Police Officer and his men led a team of local divers to the scene of the incident, luckily enough, they were able to recover the body. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigations.

“Two persons were arrested. The reason being that they went together to swim in that river when the ugly incident occurred. Arresting them is very important so that we can know what made them leave their hostel and went to that river at that time and what happened right there in the river,” he said.