Rivers Poly students riot over death of colleague

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Authorities of Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, were forced to close the institution today after the students went on rampage destroying and looting school property following the death of a second year male student after an alleged physical assault by some security officers of the school.

An eyewitness told PM NEWS that although he could ascertain the offence of the student that led to the physical assault from the CSO of the school, the news that the male student slumped after the beating by security officers sparked the violence.

The eyewitness said an ambulance carried the body of the student away from the school premises. “This led to riot by angry students who mobbed the Chief Security Officer, vandalized and looted the computer centre,” the witness said.

Entrance to the school was barricaded by the angry students temporarily causing traffic jam. The riot was transferred into main Bori town where shops were allegedly looted by the students.

The arrival of anti-riot policemen who freely used tear-gas canisters to quell the riot was initially resisted as students hauled stones and other dangerous objects at the policemen.

At the time of filing the report, students were running helter-skelter to quickly exit the campus, leading to the closure of school and suspension of examination.