NEWS Police arrest suspected killer of UNIBEN undergraduate

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested one of the suspected killers of a 100-level student of the University of Benin, Uwaila Omosuwa.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Ayoola Ajala made this known on Monday while receiving protesters at the police command.

He assured the protesters that investigation had commenced and “arrests have been made in connection with the murder”.

Some UNIBEN students and members of the public stormed the headquarters of the state police command in Benin to demand justice for Uwaila.

The protesters, who were clad in black attire, staged a walk from the King’s Square area of Benin City to the state police command headquarters at the GRA.

The protesters took pictures and displayed placards with various inscriptions like: ‘Don’t tell me how to dress, tell them not to rape me. Enough is Enough’, ‘Stop raping women! Stop killing women! No means no’, ‘Say no to rape’, ‘Stop raping us’, ‘My body, my choice’, and ‘Don’t be a rape apologist.’

PUNCH Metro had reported that Uwaila had gone to study in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Miracle Sanctuary Mega Parish, Edo Province 10, Ikpoba Hill area of Benin City on May 27, 2020, when she was raped and brutalised by her assailants.

The men had reportedly forced their way into the church, raped and smashed Uwaila’s head with a fire extinguisher.

It was gathered that the church security guard, who just resumed duty, found Uwaila in a pool of her own blood and called for help, while the victim was rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

Uwaila did not recover from her state of unconsciousness until she died on Saturday.

Nigerians have urged the police to ensure that the assailants are brought to justice.

Some Nigerians and celebrities, on Monday, staged an indoor protest to demand a stop to rape and extrajudicial killings in the country.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has deployed investigation aid and forensic support to the Edo State Police Command to complement the ongoing probe of the death of a 100-level student of the University of Benin, Uwaila Omosuwa.

The IG, in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said the killers of Uwaila would be brought to justice.

After, he stopped answering my calls.

What happened after that?

His lawyer came to our house and informed me that my husband and his brother had stopped appearing in court. I was scared but there was nothing I could do. On April 11, 2018, I was arraigned and remanded in Ilesha Prison because the accused I stood surety for had run away.

Before your eventual release, were you not appearing in court?

I was taken to court on May 5 and October 9, 2018. Aside from those two occasions, I was not taken to court. I always asked prison officials for the date my matter would come up, but they used to tell me no date had been picked for the matter.

You had a baby while in prison, how did that happen?

I didn’t know I was pregnant until few days after I was remanded. I took ill and was taken to a clinic inside the prison. After examination, I was told by the officials there that I was few months pregnant.

So, what did you do after you realised you were pregnant?

I told my mother and brother, who were always coming to check on me, about it. I was delivered of the baby on a Sunday; it was on September 2, 2018. I had been in labour since around 8pm on Saturday (previous day) and to the glory of God; I put to bed around 3.30pm on Sunday without any complications. I had mixed feelings though; I was happy I was delivered of a healthy baby without complications and was sad that it was while I was in incarceration.

The baby was named Oyinkansola by the leaders of a church that usually visited the prison. She is my fourth child. My first child will be 11 years old this month (June 2020).

How did you secure your release?

My name was not on the list of inmates to be released on the day I was released. It happened that someone came to look for me and I was told that the Chief Justice’s panel wanted to meet me. I was elated when I saw the lawyer, Julie Olorunyomi, because she was involved in my matter. I was asked questions about how I got to prison and after sharing my story, I was granted amnesty.

On getting home, I realised my world had shattered. When I left my three boys with my mother, she was hale and hearty.  But when I was released, I learnt she died while I was in prison. I was told she died on December 30, 2018. She and my elder brother used to come together to see me in jail but at some point, she stopped coming. When I asked my brother why she stopped coming, he said she was fine. Anytime my brother came around and I asked after our mum, he would say she was fine and that I should calm down.

How did you feel when you were released?

On the day I was to be freed, I woke up feeling extremely happy. That morning, my daughter packed her clothes and said, “Mummy, let’s go home.” Oyinkansola would wake up and sing songs of praise; she is 20 months old now and has never asked about her father.

After I returned home, I realised I had nothing anymore; the little things I was trading in were gone. My kids and I are with my aged father now. I am helpless and need the support of everyone. My parents had sold their belongings before my mother died.

Do you think you can forgive your husband?

I don’t think I can ever forgive him for what he did to me. Though before the case in 2014, he did what he could do within his capacity but after he returned from prison, he became irresponsible. He started womanising and that led to a misunderstanding between us in December 2014. I don’t want to be with him again or any other man. I have enough (children) to cater for. I just want to be able to start a new life.

I am not really educated; I dropped out of school at Senior Secondary School 2 but I want something better for my children. I want them to have the best of education. My three boys were attending a public school while I was in prison. Life in prison is not good at all. Although they fed us, being in incarceration is never a good experience. My daughter was getting diapers through donations made by churches and mosques. My brother also brought (diapers) for me. A group from Lagos, Anchor Heritage, came to the facility to train us to have some skills, especially on how to make decorations but I would prefer to go into trading if I get (financial) assistance.

I met with the legal aid council on October 9, 2018 when I was taken to court and she empathised with my daughter and promised to take over my case. I am from Ijebu-Jesa and my husband is from Ekiti State. His parents reside in Ido. They didn’t come to check on me while I was in prison and they were aware I was there. I called them and my brother also spoke to them in person, yet they were not moved.

Source: https://punchng.com/police-arrest-suspected-killer-of-uniben-undergraduate