A pall of gloom, anger and confusion were palpable at the Kubwa Abuja home of the slain 22-year-old student of Ajayi Crowther University, Mr Jeffrey Chamuke yesterday.
A three-man delegation from the university led by the Registrar of the school, Dr. J.E.T. Babatola, Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Roland Isibor and a senior member of the Chaplaincy, Venerable Ayo Dideola, paid a condolence visit to the family of the late student.
They were received by close family members and friends at the residence of the Ozegbes in Kubwa, a suburb of Abuja.
Speaking on what led to the tragic incident, Babatola, while confirming that some students picked Jeffrey from his room and took him to another room where he was beaten to stupor and left for dead over allegations that he stole a phone and transferred money to play spotting bet, said 12 student and eight members of staff were arrested and investigations are ongoing.
He however said after preliminary investigation, eight of the persons arrested were allowed to go by police while 12 others are still in the custody of the police at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Ibadan.
However, the mother of the deceased student, Mrs Anthonia Ozegbe faulted claims that her son was involved in phone theft or sports betting, noting that her son was well brought up and adequately catered for by the family.
In his condolence speech, Babatola said: “We came in respect of an unfortunate incident that happened in our university, Ajayi Crowther University, concerning a student Akro Jeffrey Chamuke, who was beaten by some students over allegations that a phone was stolen and that it was traced to him.”
