Fresh details have emerged regarding the tragic incident of jungle justice carried out on a final year student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
The victim has been identified as Okoli Arinze, a Civil Engineering student from Anambra State, who was accused of stealing a mobile phone belonging to a fellow student at Awo Hall, one of the male hostels on campus.
According to reports, Arinze, who had an extra year, was accused of the theft on Monday and was subsequently paraded around the hall of residence while being brutally beaten by some aggrieved students.
The mob action was allegedly led by the executives of Awo Hall on Monday night.
After the parade and beating, Arinze was reportedly handed over to the Student Union’s security committee around 11:00 pm.
News About Nigeria gathered that he was then taken to the SUG (Student Union Government) building on campus where he was subjected to brutal torture overnight.
On Tuesday, Arinze was rushed to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital after losing consciousness. Witnesses claimed that he was already dead when he arrived at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit.
The management of the institution has condemned the mob action and promised to investigate the incident, stating that it has been reported to the police. They also warned students against taking the law into their own hands.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among the OAU community and beyond, with many condemning the barbaric act of jungle justice. Calls for justice and accountability have been echoed on social media and by human rights organizations, urging authorities to ensure that those responsible for Arinze’s death are brought to justice.
Efforts are ongoing to ascertain the circumstances leading to Arinze’s death and to hold those responsible accountable for their actions. The tragic incident has once again highlighted the need for proper handling of allegations and disputes within the university community and the importance of upholding the rule of law.
