Gang-rape: Rivers varsity suspends three students

The Ignatius Ajuru University of Education has suspended three of its students for alleged involvement in the gang-rape of a female undergraduate of the institution.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital and made available to our correspondent.

The state police command had paraded two of the three undergraduates fingered in the crime last Friday, saying its operatives were on the trail of the third suspect, who is said to be on the run.

The university has also banned students from visiting any member of the opposite sex in all the hostels.

Ndimele, in the statement titled: ‘Suspension from studies for three mindless student rapists’, gave the names of the alleged culprits as Nnamdi Destiny of the Department of Political Science; Ovunwo Henry, Sociology Department; and Samuel Valentine of the Political Science Department.

The statement read in part, “The first two (Nnamdi Destiny and Ovunwo Henry) have been arrested and handed over to the police, while the third has run away from school. But we must get him.

“The matter has also been referred to the students’ disciplinary committee to decide their fate. The room where the crime was committed has been sealed off and all occupants driven out of the hostel

“The Registrar of the university has been directed to issue a memo banning inter-sex visits at any time of the day. Any student found guilty of visiting the opposite sex in the hostel, no matter the time of the day, puts himself/herself and the occupants of such a room at high risk.

“We must be our sisters’ keepers. It is a huge shame.”