The Civil Liberties Organization, Akwa Ibom State chapter, has urged the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Gwadabe, to hand over the policeman who allegedly fired the shot that killed the 200-level student of the University of Uyo for prosecution.
The undergraduate of Food Science, Mr. Kingsley Udoette, was killed during the last Wednesday protest in the school.
The CLO said the students had the rights to demand better services. It also demanded explanation for the action of the university’s management, which it considered as anti-students.
Explaining the organization position in Uyo on Wednesday, the CLO’s state chairman, Mr. Clifford Thomas, said it was wrong for the school management to invite police to an issue which could have been easily resolved.
He said, “The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Umar Gwadabe, must hand over the policeman, who shot and killed the student during last Wednesday protest by the University of Uyo students.
“In no circumstance was the police needed to interfere in what was the university’s internal issue to the point of killing a student. It amounts to cold-blooded murder.
“If at all they went there, their duty would have been to oversee the situation, control tension, and not to shoot or throw stones at the students.
“We demand the CP to clear his name by handing over the killer policeman for prosecution.”
Thomas said the legislative arm of government should pass a bill that prohibits the killing of persons who embark on peaceful protests on the campus and society into law.
He explained that such a bill should spell out consequences for vice-chancellor of any university who has students killed during the course of demanding for their rights.
He said the penalty could range from dismissal to standing trial in a competent court of law.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Etim Dickson, said there was no way the police could have killed the student as they were not allowed to enter the campus.
He said, “The police did not enter the campus to kill any student. The police by right are not authorized to enter the university’s campus since Ali-Must-Go issue of many years now.
“Before police can enter university’s campus, the vice chancellor must write and take the police in. We are aware of that fact, but nobody entered.
“As investigation panel has been set up to investigate the issue, any discussion on it amounts to contempt. It is only the panel that should speak now.”
