Poly expels student over armed robbery

The Federal Polytechnic Nekede (FEDPOLYNEK), Owerrri, has expelled  one of its students over his involvement  in armed robbery and other criminal acts within and outside the school.

The student’s expulsion, identified as 20-year-old Ezeonye Chinemerem Raphael, a native of Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo state, was said to have been ratified by the management after series of reports have linked him to various crimes in the school.

Ezeonye was said to be a second year student in the department of Business Administration and Management (BAM) with a registration/matriculation number: 17E/0155/BAM/FPN.

The Deputy Rector (Administration) of the Polytechnic, Dr. (Mrs.)  Anthonia Nwosu, who disclosed this in Owerri, said that  Ezeonye, who  operated in a gang of two, was always waylaying students who use the  back gate, one of the exit points close Umuerim where most of the hostels were located   and rob them of  their belongings such as phones, laptops, other gadgets and cash at gun point.

She said, “When that report came to us, the Rector, Rev. Dr. Michael Arimanwa, quickly addressed the students and urged them to fight back by going as a mob to apprehend the hoodlums because we know that these criminals are always few in number.

“So, at about 8pm on Tuesday, the gang struck as usual. But, one of their victims raised an alarm which attracted other students. Immediately, they noticed a mob of students approaching, they shot sporadically into the air to scare the students. But the students were undeterred and gave them a chase and apprehended the two-man gang.

“It took the polytechnic security to save them from being killed by the mob.

“It was during interrogation that we found out that one of the armed robbers, Ezeonye Chinemerem, is our students while the other culprit, Precious Onyewuchi, who equally claimed to be our student; but there was nothing to suggest he is our student”, she said.

She said that while the culprits had been handed over to the police, they have also  been expelled from the institution to serve as adeterrent to others.

“We feel obliged to report this criminal act because we have nothing to hide; we don’t have any reason to shield any student who has become a torn in the flesh of the law-abiding and unsuspecting students.

“The management decided to expel the student because he was caught with gun and even shot a number of times. They could have killed anybody.

“So, the management decided that such characters should not find succour in our school because we certify graduates here in both character and learning. We are not producing armed robbers. We are producing law-abiding citizens who will useful to the society”, she said.

The deputy registrar used the opportunity to call on other students of the polytechnic to learn from the experience of the expelled students.

She warned that the  management would not tolerate any form of misdemeanour from any student of the polytechnic either within or outside the polytechnic.