Corps member shot dead, FRSC arrests two with human skull

A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member has been shot dead in Akwa Ibom State, the police have said. A statement issued on Monday by the police in the state said the corps member was shot on Sunday in Eket by unknown assailants who were on a motorcycle.

The deceased, Tolulope Alausa, is an Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) graduate who had four months left for his youth service. Eyewitnesses said he was killed by stray bullet during a robbery operation.

The statement, signed by the police spokesperson in the state, Bala Elkana, said the deceased was “hanging out” at Akanimo Street with other corps members whom he went visiting when he was shot.

Akwa Ibom Coordinator of the NYSC, Mr Julius Amusan, yesterday condemned the murder. Amusan also urged the security agencies in the state to unravel the motive behind the incident and apprehend the culprits.

The coordinator described the incident as a sad development that must be condemned. “It is a very sad development that a young man who came to cater for the development of the nation was murdered in cold blood. We are very saddened,” he said.

Amusan, who described the late corps member as well- behaved and disciplined, appealed to security agencies to beef up security around the Corpers’ Lodge.

He disclosed that the corps member, who did not travel during the Yuletide, went to meet his colleagues at the Redeemed Christian Corpers Fellowship Lodge in Eket where he met his death.

The coordinator urged all corps members to be security conscious and refrain from late night outings.

The police had stated that the 27-year-old corps member attached to a public school at Nung Obong in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area was attacked in front of a lock-up shop at Akanimo Street in Eket, Eket Local Government Area.

An eye witness said unknown assailants on a motorcycle had opened fire at the deceased who was in company with his colleagues that he had visited.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, has deployed a special force from the State Criminal Investigation Department to Eket to investigate the killing.

The police chief, who has visited the crime scene, assured the NYSC that those behind the killing would be brought to justice.

Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Akwa Ibom State command has arrested a traffic offender found to be in possession of a decomposing human head at Mbak.

The state sector commander, Mr. Sunday Oghenekaro, made this known to The Guardian in his office in Uyo. Oghenekaro explained that his men were at Mbak mobile court when the suspected driver, who gave his name as Ini Ime Effion, was stopped for violating traffic rules but the driver refused to obey.

He said an officer tried to stop him and immediately he tried to park the car, a man who identified himself as Prophet Israel Effion Okon, jumped down, open the boot, carried a bag and started running before his men pursued him and discovered he was in possession of a human skull.

His words: “According to received report, at about 11:30a.m. a black SUV with registration number DX 147 LSD was initially apprehended for failure to use seatbelt but the driver disregarded hand signal and tried to escape thereby committing other offences as dangerous driving, drivers’ license violation, obstructing marshal on duty and failure to move over. He was finally stopped having made some daredevil attempts to escape and almost ran over some of the marshals on the road.

“Immediately the vehicle was stopped, a passenger in the vehicle rushed out, picked up a bag from the vehicle and attempted to flee but the agile marshals went after him. He stumbled and fell, and was apprehended. On a careful examination into the bag, a decomposing human head was discovered and at this point the man became aggressive and wild. The two suspects are in police custody while the vehicle is in FRSC custody.”

Oghenekaro called on motorists to be careful of vehicles they board and also advised transport unions to carefully screen passengers’ luggage before leaving parks.