Spokesman of the Ekiti State House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, has called for the arrest of the killers of Deborah Modupe, a 200-level student of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.
In a statement on Thursday, Rotimi asked that the circumstances surrounding the student’s death must be fully investigated.
Rotimi, representing the Ekiti North I (Ikole/Oye) federal constituency, pressed the government of Ekiti state, relevant security agencies, and stakeholders in the community to join hands to arrest the perpetrators and prosecute them.
“We owe it to the memory of late Modupe, to ensure our students, and indeed all residents in our communities are safe and secure as they go about their legitimate activities,” he said.
Rotimi further urged anyone with relevant information about the case to contact the Nigeria Police Force to aid their investigations.
“It is through the collective efforts of the community that justice can be swiftly served and a sense of security restored,” he said.
It has been reported that Modupe had stepped out study in the evening of September 4 and was reported missing on the same day.
Efforts to find the missing student led the search party to a shallow grave within the school premises where Modupe was buried.
On September 7, the univerisity’s management confirmed the incident in a statement by the institution’s registrar, Mr. Mufutau Ibrahim.
“It will be recalled that earlier today, the management had made public the disturbing development of the missing deceased and assured that an investigation was ongoing to unravel the whereabouts of the students,” the school announced.
“But current information reaching the security outfit of the university has disclosed that the said student is dead.
“While the university management condoles with the family of the deceased and the generality of the university community, particularly our dear students, the investigation is ongoing with the security agencies with a view to getting to the root of the sad development and arresting the perpetrators.
“We therefore, appeal to students and all other stakeholders to remain calm.”
Ibrahim assured the public that everyone found guilty in the death of Modupe would be arrested and prosecuted.
Following the case, the Ekiti State Police Command said it had arrested 10 suspects related to the death of the student.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abutu Sunday, announced the development through the command’s handle on X (formerly Twitter).
The PRO also confirmed that Deborah’s body was found in a shallow grave behind the Nursing Lecture Hall.
“This is to inform the general public that the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, CP Ogundare Dare, has ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the death of one Atanda Modupe Deborah, a 200-level nursing student of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), who was declared missing within the school premises on 5/09/2023 but found dead in a shallow grave at a distance of about 30 meters behind the nursing Lecture Hall,” Sunday started.
He also promised that the police would make sure to arrest everyone related to the crime and punish them accordingly.
“While appealing to everyone to be calm, the commissioner vows that the command will do everything possible to unearth the identity of the perpetrator(s) and ensure they are made to face the full wrath of the law.
“The command enjoins anyone with useful information concerning the ugly incident to visit Oye Divisional Police Headquarters, Oye-Ekiti or State CIID or call 09064050086/08053499199.”
Sunday confirmed that the body had been deposited in the morgue and investigations were ongoing.
“Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue for autopsy while 10 suspects are currently in custody undergoing investigation,” Sunday confirmed.