Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have arrested a 21-year-old student of the Imo State University, Francis Marvelous, for allegedly stabbing to death, a final-year student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Marvelous Kingsley.
A statement issued in Owerri, the state capital on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, disclosed that the FUTO student was killed on Thursday night following an altercation with the suspect.
Okoye said the IMSU undergraduate was arrested by the operatives of the command following a distress call.
He revealed that the suspect would be arraigned at the conclusion of the investigation by the command.
Okoye dispelled the speculation making the rounds that the FUTO undergraduate was stabbed to death by a Fulani herdsman.
The statement read, “Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have arrested an alleged 300-level student of Imo State University (IMSU) Owerri named Francis Marvellous ‘m’, 21yrs, who hails from Ehime Mbano LGA of Imo State for allegedly stabbing to death Chinagorom Marvellous Kingsley ‘m’, 22yrs, who is a final year student of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and a member the University’s Man O’ War Unit.
“The arrest was a sequel to a swift response to a distress call received from the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of FUTO, retired DSP Patrick Egwu, by police operatives on convoy patrol who promptly arrested the suspect who was almost lynched at the scene by an angry mob.
“The body of the victim was recovered and rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Owerri where he was confirmed dead and deposited at the mortuary.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, admitting that he had a heated argument with personnel of the university’s Man O’ War Unit on 29/03/2024 at about 2200hrs during which he brought out a knife he neatly concealed in his trousers and stabbed the victim to death. He mentioned three others who were with him during the fight. They include his brother, Francis Promise, Prince and a man popularly known as Soji.
“Efforts are on top gear to arrest the suspects at large and ascertain their involvement in the case. The suspect(s) will be arraigned in court upon completion of a comprehensive investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department.”
Meanwhile, an eyewitness told our correspondent that another student whose identity was yet to be ascertained died in the incident.
“Policemen came and were throwing teargas canisters and students started running and jumping down from their hostels. Unfortunately an asthmatic student died. Another student broke her hand leg and was rushed to Federal Medical Centre in Owerri. Others also sustained injuries, ” he said.
