The upper chamber of the National Assembly in their seating today [October 9, 2012] tabled the issue of the brutal murder of the four students of the University of Port Harcourt, River State – Ugonna, Lloyd, Tekana and Chidiaka by the vigilante operatives of Aluu community.
The Senate plenary which began at about 12:30pm saw the Senators rise to speak in denunciation of the brutal killings. Among the Senator who spoke against the killings included Senator Akume, Senator Egba, Senator Bello, Senate President David Mark, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and others.
One of the Senators who spoke passionately and personally on the killings was Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu who told the Chamber that he knew one of the boys personally. “The mother is from one of the local government areas which I represent here in the Senate” said the deputy president who also noted that “the boy travels to the United States of America [USA] frequently” and so has no need to steal phones and laptops. “The mother of the boy works for a top bank in Nigeria and the father is a top shot in NNPC”. The Senator stated that he spoke with the parents of Chidiaka recently.
The Deputy Senate president added that preliminary investigation suggests that the brutal killings may have been the result of misunderstanding between students. But the Senator stopped short of elaborating on the details of the misunderstanding – citing that the matter remains under investigation.
Adding a strong voice to the condemnation of the killings was Senator Akume of Benue State who seized to opportunity to rally for the creation of State police. The Senator indicated that the creation of State police will help halt the type of needless killings currently taking place around the tertiary institutions of Nigeria. He made it clear also that anyone for kills should be killed.
The Senate President seconded the call for creation of State police – adding that the increased killings of innocent souls in the various part of Nigeria caused him to change his original stand on the issue.
A one minute silence was observed by the Senate in honor of the murdered boys.
