Rape, murder of UNIBEN undergraduate shocking, says Dr. Saraki

Former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has described as shocking and gruesome the rape and murder of a 22- year old undergraduate of University of Benin, Uwa Omozuwa, in a church in Benin City.

It would be recalled that the management of the school had on Sunday confirmed the death of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level student of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, who was gang-raped and clubbed to death by yet-to-be-identified persons.

The incident took place inside the Ikpoba Hill branch of Redeemed Christian Church of God, in Benin City, Edo State.

The victim was beaten on May 13, where she went to study. She died on May 31, 18 days after, at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

It was gathered that the Ikpoba Hill branch of the church where the incident occurred was on Sunday morning set ablaze allegedly by angry students of the university.

Reacting to the incident on his twitter handle on Monday, Saraki said such savagery has no place in the Nigerian society.

“As a people, we have to work to create safe spaces for our girls and women – in our homes, at work and in our places of worship – free from any and all sorts of sexual violation. And I say this not just because I’m a #girldad but because it is the right thing to do.

“I strongly appeal to our law enforcement agencies to leave no stone uncovered in finding the perpetrators of this heinous act and bringing them to justice.I pray that the Almighty comforts the Omozuwa family and strengthens them at this very difficult time.”

Meanwhile, the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has ordered the police to fish out those responsible for the brutal killing of Omozuwa.

In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said Governor Obaseki has mandated the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other relevant security agencies to fish out the culprits, who perpetrated the dastardly act and bring them to justice.