19, was stabbed to death for confiscating fellow student's sandals.
This happened in Cross Rivers State, Nigeria. Get the gruesome details
after the cut...
Tragedy struck at 13 Amphibious Brigade, Eburutu Barracks, Ikot Ansa
in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State recently when the Labour
Prefect of Army Day SecondarySchool, Boniface Odinakachukwu, 19, was
stabbed to death for confiscating fellow student'ssandals.
Investigations revealed that Boniface, an SSS II student and an
indigene of Onicha-Igboeze Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, met
his untimely death penultimate week when hisfellow SS II student, one
Francis (surname withheld), allegedly hired a colleague, Godwin
(surname also withheld), 20, to assist him in beating up the Prefect
for daring to accost him (Francis) for improper dressing in school.
The late Boniface, it was learnt, was a stickler for discipline and
therefore, ensured that students complied with the mode of dressing
within the school premises.
And in carrying out his official functions, the Prefect had accosted
Godwin, queried him on why he should fly his shirt's collar and
adorning a pair of sandals during school hours and as a punishment,
the late Boniface allegedly confiscated the sandals and handed over
to one of the school masters, hoping to return them to him the
following day as has always been the practice.
Francis, sources said, did not raise any eyebrow as he walked quietly
to his class without showing any sign that he was annoyed or out to do
anything funny over the seizure of his sandals.
But trouble started, when after school had closed at 3:00 pm, Francis
and a few of the students alleged to be cultists including Godwin, a
school drop-out, were unknowingly trailing him and subsequently
attacked and killed him in the process.
An eyewitness said: "As we were going home after school hours, we
noticed some funny movements by senior students as they clustered and
were pointing at our Labour Prefect, accusing him of always
embarrassing the students who don't dress properly.
"The group of students numbering about five accosted Boniface finally
and asked him why did he embarrass the big boy, Francis and before he
could utter a word, a fight ensued. At that time, Godwin just stepped
forward, removed a dagger from his pocket and stabbed the Labour
Prefect on the chest and he slumped and died instantly."
On discovering that Boniface was dead, the boys fled, but were later
arrested by the soldiers and handed over to the police.
Godwin, who hailed from Akwa Ibom State, is cooling off at the Diamond
Hill state policecommand headquarters, Calabar where is being
investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Police sources informed that Godwin had confessed that he was hired by
his friend, Francis, to assist, asked him to recover a pair of sandals
which Boniface had seized from him for allegedly dressing improperly.
The accused disclosed that Francis spotted the Labour Prefect for him
from a distance and pointed at him and they went after him in a group.
Besides, Godwin who is a drop-out from Government Technical School
Ikot Nsa, Calabar,had admitted that he got hold of the Labour Prefect
from the back, and later stabbed him on the chest, saying he didn't
intend to kill him.
Francis was also said to have admitted that both of them laid ambush
for the late Boniface at the school gate, waiting for the closing hour
so that they could the deal with him. He said that it was not their
intention to kill him, but to just harass him and collect the sandals.
Francis and Godwin, who are said to be close friends and live in the
same block at Eburutu Barracks, would soon be charged to court as they
have already admitted to killing the prefect.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Hogan Bassey,
confirmed the incident to reporters in Calabar.
Reacting to Boniface's death, his elder brother, Ikemefuna, said: "I
don't know why a fellow student should organize people to kill my
younger brother just like that. It is very painful anda big loss to
our family and we would not allow our brother's killers to go free.
"What will I tell my parents that I took my brother from home alive
and bubbling and now taking him home in a coffin? Why should it be
so?"
Ikemefuna, who trades on GSM accessories, said: "Justice must be done
by ensuring that those students are also killed so that others will
learn from there. We will not accept any move to scuttle the
prosecution of this matter because I have informed my community here
in Calabar and Ebonyi. We will soon write to our state government to
come to our aid so that this type of thing will not happen to our
people again."
He said, however, that once the police are through with the autopsy,
they would write officially so that the body can be released for
burial in his hometown.
Also speaking, the Ebonyi Development Association, Calabar branch's
spokesman, Chief Ogbonnaya Oka, said the community would soon decide
on how to go about the killing of one of their sons.
Oka, who appealed to all Ebonyians to remain calm amid any
provocation, said, "we will soon make our representations to Governor
Liyel Imoke to ensure that we are given protectionbecause Ebonyi
people contribute positively to the economic development of the
state," adding that they would assist the police in the prosecution
of the accused.
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