One Francis Marvellous, 21, a 300 level student of Imo State University, IMSU Owerri, narrowly escaped being lynched by an irate mob, especially students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, on Thursday night.
The said Marvellous, The Guardian gathered, allegedly stabbed one Chinagorom Kingsley, a final year student of FUTO and member of the University’s Man O’ War Unit, to death following a minor altercation that ensued between them.
In a release signed by the State Police Command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, for the timely intervention of the police patrol team on duty around the area, the suspect was arrested, while the body of the victim, upon confirmation of his death, was deposited at a mortuary.
Okoye said in the release, “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 of 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 Center, Owerri where he was confirmed dead and deposited at the mortuary.”
He continued, “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, SCID.”
“The Command, therefore, is using this medium to dispel the false narratives making the rounds on social media that the victim was stabbed to death by Hausa Fulani/Northern, warning that misinformation is the handiwork of mischief makers who want to provoke unnecessary intertribal conflict between the good people of Imo State and the Northerners residing in the State.
“Accordingly, the Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma* has directed the deputy commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to take charge of the case and ensure that the suspects involved in this case and purveyors of fake news are arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
“The Command calls on the general public, particularly the staff and students of FUTO, to go about their lawful business as adequate security measures have been implemented to forestall any future occurrences and warned the students of FUTO to refrain from taking laws into their hands as an investigation is in progress to bring the culprits to book.” he added.
