PAINFUL EXIT: Tears, as Gunmen Kill Final Year Student of Niger Delta University in Broad Daylight (Photo)

 

Obele Wilson

The student, identified as Obele Wilson, was shot and killed by rampaging armed robbers

Wilson was a final year Engineering student of the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, Amasoma, Southern Ijaw.

According to The Nation, the victim was attacked along the Sani Abacha Expressway, Yenagoa, where some branches of new generation banks are located.

The bandits who were armed with guns and other weapons reportedly rounded up Wilson and some bank customers at about 2pm and started dispossessing them of their cash, mobile handsets and other valuables.

Prior to the incident, Wilson was said to be in the business of electronically processing NDU’s screening forms for admission seekers.

A source who spoke in confidence said the deceased student was at the spot to seek customers from persons who bought the NDU forms from banks.

He said: “The killing of Wilson was very painful. He was a final year engineering student who was in the business of processing screening forms for admission seekers.

“He was at the premises of the bank on Tuesday to look for customers from among those who purchased the forms. Some armed stormed the place and started collecting people’s valuables and cash at gunpoint. Wilson was said to have argued with them in the process they shot him.”

The source said after the shooting, sympathisers tried to rush him to an undisclosed hospital but that he died before getting there.

He, however, blamed the incident on the ongoing industrial crisis between the employees of the university and the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration which led to the shutdown of NDU.

All the workers in the university have been on strike since April following the inability of Dickson to pay them their salaries for about six months.

The source said: “If not for the strike, Wilson would have gone for his compulsory industrial training for final year engineering students. He was processing the training when the strike started”.

Wilson was described by some friends as an active youth from Ogbia Local Government Area, immediate past Vice-President of the National Union of Bayelsa State Students (NUBSS), and leader of the Ogbia students union.

There have been rising cases of armed robberies and other violent crimes in Yenagoa, the state capital, since the economic crisis occasioned by non-payment of salaries started in the state.

It was gathered that despite concerns raised by the police over reports of increasing armed robberies by the Nation, the situation had not changed.

Investigations still revealed that most streets and roads remained impassable from 7pm because of the activities of armed youths.

Most notorious among the dangerous streets is Samphino, located at the Kpansia suburb close to the Mbiama-Yenagoa Road.

Residents still told the Nation that they hardly sleep each day with their eyes closed complaining that movement along the street from 7pm is suicidal.

A resident of the notorious Samphino who identified himself simply as Joshua said their lives were in danger.

He said: “In fact, there is nothing like security on this street. Every day they beat up people to collect their properties. Even yesterday, they broke into one shop and made away with foodstuffs.

“They also entered one barbing saloon and stole plasma television. They are constantly attacking shops and sometimes between 5 to 6am, they beat up ladies and collect their hand bags.

“As far as we are concerned, there is no security. You know how the Nigeria police operate. They normally come after the incident. They do their normal patrol. They even come the time they are not needed.

“Before now, this street was not like this. But now once its 7 to 8pm, you see people locking their shops which is not supposed to be”.