Manhunt for killers of students begins

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday met with members of the reconstituted National Security Council.


The development came amid a manhunt for killers of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, which was shut down on Tuesday following violent protests by their colleagues.

The new Service Chiefs who attended the meeting for the first time were Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh.

Members of the Council include National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim and Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika. Other members include the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar and Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ita Ekpeyong.

On his part, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar yesterday disclosed that the outfit has commenced investigation into last week’s gruesome murder of the four students for alleged theft, vowing that the culprits would be brought to justice.
He said already, arrests have been made but declined to reveal the number of people that have been arrested in connection with the murder so far.


Meanwhile, a truck load of mobile policemen (MOPOL) were spotted at various locations near the scene of the incident, while over 50 heavily armed operatives of the Joint Task Force, (JTF) Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), State Security Service, SSS and policemen were seen moving round the community.



Some of the military men were seen evacuating the items used on the students before they died, including motor tyres, sticks and stones, at a place called ‘buropit’ in Umuokiri, maybe for forensic analysis.