Buhari Orders Police To Investigate UNIBEN Student’s Death

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a student of the University of Benin.

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President Buhari issued the directive while reacting to the death of the 22-year-old on Twitter on Tuesday.

The president commiserated with the family and friends of the deceased over the incident.

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He subsequently charged the police to “speedily and diligently” investigate the case.

I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Uwaila Omozuwa. I expect the Nigeria Police Force to speedily and diligently investigate this case and ensure that all the culprits responsible for this barbaric act are brought to justice.

— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) June 2, 2020

In a statement issued later, the Federal Government directed the police to investigate Omozuwa’s death, as well as the serial sexual abuse of a minor in Jigawa State by 14 men.

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The statement, which was signed by Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, said that by bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crimes to justice, the Federal Government will be serving a strong notice of its total aversion to gender-based violence in whatever form.

”It is said that the true measure of a society can be found in how it treats it’s most vulnerable members,” said the Minister, assuring that the Federal Government will do everything possible to stem the growing tide of gender-based violence in the country.

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Omozuwa was raped by unidentified hoodlums when she went to read at the Miracle Sanctuary Mega Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Edo Province 10, in Benin City on 27 May.

According to friends of the 22-year-old undergraduate, who was popularly known as Uwa, her attackers subsequently smashed her head with a fire extinguisher and left her unconscious.

She was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital but succumbed to her injuries three days later.

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The incident prompted a rage on social media, with Nigerians demanding justice for the late student using the hashtag #JusticeforUWA on Twitter.

The Edo State Police Command on Tuesday said that it has arrested a suspect in connection with the rape and death of Omozuwa.