27th October, 2014
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The Ugbowo campus of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), wore a mournful look Monday morning following the gruesome murder of Ejiroghene Gbenedio, a 300-level student of the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Physical Sciences.
The deceased was allegedly hacked to death with an axe at about 7 pm on Friday by unidentified assailants. He was said to have died at the spot.
UNIBEN’s spokesman, Barrister Harris Osarenren, who confirmed the murder of the student, said the incident has been reported at the Ugbowo Police Station and that the body has been deposited at the mortuary of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH.
He added that investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Some students of the university who spoke to P.M.NEWS on condition of anonymity for personal and safety reasons, said the killing of the late student may be cult-related.
“It is apparently a cult-related thing. No one would have killed him for nothing. It is either he was killed by rival cult groups or by his own people for disloyalty. It happens every time,” one of the students said.
The President of the Students Union Government (SUG) of UNIBEN, Comrade Ikhide John Ifidon, said he could not verify the claims that the incident was cult-related.
Ifidon who spoke to P.M.NEWS on phone Monday morning, said he has no cogent reason to come to any conclusion on the likely cause of the murder of Gbenedio.
“I have not gotten any cogent information about the incident. I am still carrying out some findings on why he was killed and by who. Maybe you could call back later in the day,” Ifidon said.