Army Reacts As Soldiers Torture UNIBEN Student To Death

The Nigerian Army has reacted to the death of an undergraduate of Computer Science at the University of Benin, Christian Ehima.

It was learned that the 24-year-old was allegedly beaten to death by some soldiers while he was travelling to a village called Ewesa in Edo State on Friday, December 10.

According to the mother of the victim, Mercy Ehima said her son was tortured at the Railway Checkpoint in the Igbanke area of the state.

Ehima, who is a senior police officer with the Delta State Police Command, disclosed that her son had unknowingly boarded a kidnappers’ vehicle.

She added that the kidnappers ran into the soldiers’ checkpoint and reversed immediately, saying that her son jumped down from the vehicle in the process and ran into the bush.

The police officer narrated her son ran to the Army checkpoint for rescue but was beaten to death by the soldiers. Mrs Ehima revealed that she met her son in a pit by the checkpoint and rushed him to the hospital.

According to Mrs Ehima, the UNIBEN student died hours later of alleged internal bleeding.

Reacting to the tragic incident, Army spokesman, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said the Guard Commander in the state has been invited over the matter.

He also stated that the military has no room for human rights violation, adding that the culprits if found guilty will be punished accordingly.

Speaking with The PUNCH, Nwachukwu condoled with the family of the victim.

He said, “I’ve just contacted my PRO (Public Relations Officer) in Benin and drew his attention to it. He said he has also contacted the Police PRO there.

“The woman actually serves in Delta State and investigation had commenced from their own end there. The Guard Commander (the head of those soldiers at the checkpoint) has been invited to issue a statement.

“Investigation had commenced and we will get to the bottom of this. Just like the female soldier that abused the youth corper, it was properly investigated and the officer was dealt with, we can’t cover up such people, we don’t have a place for such people in the system if it really happened.”

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