Two individuals have been arrested by the police in relation to the tragic death of a student from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Francis Aniude. The unfortunate incident occurred at Ekosodin River, situated near the Ugbowo campus of the university.
Francis Aniude, a 23-year-old student, drowned in the river after being invited by his neighbours, Samson Kennedy and Wilfred Emmanuel, who are students themselves. Samson Kennedy is a second-year Biochemistry student, while Wilfred Emmanuel is in his fifth year of studying Optometry. The two suspects were arrested in connection with the incident.
According to reports, on June 29, Samson and Wilfred invited Francis to join them for a swim at Ekosodin River. Unfortunately, Francis encountered difficulties while swimming, and his colleagues promptly sought assistance from the Ekosodin community.
Francis passed away before help could reach him, the reports say. The deceased’s body was later recovered from the river on July 1.
Family members and relatives, suspicious of the circumstances surrounding Francis’s death, noticed blood on his lips and peeled skin around his neck area. They have since requested an autopsy to ascertain the cause of death.
Upon inquiry, superitendent of police, Chidi Nwabuzor, the spokesperson for the Edo State Command, confirmed that “The two students had been arrested to aid the police investigation. The discovery of blood on the deceased’s lips and peeled skin led to their apprehension.”
The case was initially reported at the BDPA Ugbowo Police Station by a vigilant individual, after which the police, with the assistance of local divers, recovered the body. The investigation has now been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further examination.
In Nwabuzor’s statement, he emphasised the importance of apprehending the two individuals involved in swimming with Francis in the river. The police aim to determine the reasons behind their departure from their hostel to the river at that particular time and unravel the events that occurred during the incident.
