A final year student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Okoli Chizoputam, has been beaten to death by an angry mob on campus over alleged phone theft.
A statement by the Students Union Government (SUG) President, Folahan Festus, stated that the student was pronounced dead on arrival at the Emergency Department of the OAU Teaching Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
The release reads; “I regret to announce the death of a Part 5 student assaulted in a mob action at Awo Hall yesterday. The student was declared dead on arrival at the Emergency Medicine Department of OAU Teaching Hospital this afternoon.
“Preliminary investigations show that the deceased was accused to have stolen a phone. While we await official report from the law enforcement agencies, I must state that this incidence is a very sad one to Great Ife Students’ Union because our Union is not a Union of barbarians but that of intellectuals.”
Meanwhile, authorities of the institution has condemned incident in strong terms.
A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that preliminary investigation revealed that the student died of a mob action on the allegation that he stole a phone.
“Saddened by this ugly development which he described as unfortunate, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, has set up a committee to unravel the circumstances that led to this incident.
“The action of the mob, being a violation of the law of the country and of the University regulations, has been reported to the police who have commenced investigations.
“The University administration hereby commiserates with the parents of the deceased, staff and students, and prays that God will grant us the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he stated.
The statement admonished students to desist from taking laws into their hands and report any criminal activity to the University authorities for immediate action.